Grimm Souls: Paragons
by AuroryBorealis
Summary: An homage to Dark souls, with a RWBY plotline, and Underlying Ruby and Jaune romance. Likely to be monthly updates, and medium chapters. Please leave much review, many wow. DS1 setting, with RWBY characters and some DS legends. Resuming at End of the beginning after Ruby's ultimate attack. Thanks for reading. (No its not in crossover tab, because IDC)
1. Legends Scatter

**Grimm souls: Paragons**

 **(A/N:** **Welcome to my first fanfic; Grimm souls: Paragons. This is a RWBY based dark souls crossover, but is to be posted in RWBY fic area, as the main plotline mirrors RWBY. Reviews will be happily received, and I look forward to your feedback. Special thanks to the following: Alex Healy, Oscar Lawrence, Sophie Karim. For their support of my fiction, as well as their votes. They are guests of honour in my fiction profile and community. Welcome, to the world of Grimm souls, based off of Dark souls 1, the original version. More detail will be explained in other A/Ns and in the story, so even if you have not played dark souls, you will understand quickly, since it is not a crossover, but is fantasy and based upon dark souls. Resuming at the start V4 start. Please enjoy!)**

 **Chapter 1: Legends scatter.**

Long ago, in the age of ancients, four great souls were imbued into the predecessors of life. However, the souls had entwined, showing hate, and creating a mortal strife.

The first of the Grimm; The shrouded King. His utter blackness overcame all but the greatest lights, until only embers remained. But embers were Remnants, and even the smallest spark can ignite hope.

The Red Queen; Mother of pyromancy, and ruler of fire. Known to spread blight, even amongst the huntsman. Her superior mind has brought the end of many, and in her shadow, few continue to cope.

The Arc Lord; Master of Sunlight, and lord of lightning. His faith burned brighter than the light of the sun, and his incandescence was revered. His followers chased for the sun, Rewarded in hope, for the few that dare.

The blossoming Rose; The Grimm bane, and light of innocence. Her power came from others, but resides in hope. Thus she was cloaked, and taken as the beacon in a clouded land by those who would care.

To this end, we take up the story of the great heroes, who make pilgrimage to the land of the ancient lords, Yet little do they know, what evil lurks beneath the floors.

 **The Grimm asylum: Cells**

The cold ground cracked beneath the two bodies, but did not crumble, to the relief of the three onlookers. As the two who had fallen rose, but the mysterious boy above walked slowly away, with weapon on hand, should he meet a foe. He wished to the ever present lord Monty that the lord's descendants blessing would shield him, especially from those who schemed to put them here. Not that he would need it.

As the figure beneath him rose, he thought of all that he had left. A dying sun, in the last beacon of light, and themselves. Jaune Arc, the last descendant of the Arc line, holding Crocea Mors, known as the sunlight straight sword by the people of Vale. As he rose, he looked to her. She was always by his side, but now their bond would be truly tested. They had begun to travel to the land of lords, revered as the home of the Dawn of light, and beginning of the abyss. However, they were stopped by the covenant of the darkened sun. Then, with no memory in between, landed here.

He was soon reminded of the situation as a small but pretty girl coughed, as he realised he had been blankly staring at her for nearly a minute, and she was uncomfortable. Luckily, she was as awkward as he was, and quickly turned to her weapon. For some reason, she too had retained her weapon while unconscious. As she checked it over, along with the spare ammunition, he slowly searched his surroundings. He saw a large hole in the roof, a rusted metal door and a shiny key. He grabbed the key, and turned to see crescent rose pointed at the door's lock. She really did have a sharp mind.

"Thank god, I hate being cooped up like that" Ruby stated, with a hint of relief, before turning to see Jaune holding a key.

"Me too, Ruby" Jaune sighed, throwing the key over his shoulder, before walking through the door, and facing a weak and ragged Grimm, as if it was dying, merely by standing. He slowly began to walk towards the Grimm, but soon realised what felt so wrong, and why the situation seemed so strange. "Ruby, someone locked our aura. We will have to unlock and grow our aura again" he exclaimed after quickly trying to manifest his aura.

Naturally, she was curious. Then frustrated. Then confused. She still felt her semblance, the simple feeling that she could. So what stopped her? It was new. It was scary. It was –

"Jaune, have you unlocked your semblance yet? What is it?" she spurted out, without really knowing why. She realised that this might be sensitive, but didn't really think about that until she had said it. 'Meh, too late now' she thought, and waited for the reply.

"No" he replied, dejectedly looking down, but not seeming to be sad at Ruby. She knew it made him remember Pyrrha, the girl who had unlocked his aura, long ago in the great beacon, before the fall of Beacon. Before…

"Jaune? I didn't mean to offend you. Normally the strongest semblances take the longest, maybe you will get it soon" she hoped so. He really did work hard after… her.

"It's ok, I can keep up now with aura, so I will be as strong as you with my semblance… Maybe" The last part she heard under his breath, but decided to keep quiet about it, willing to let him fight his own problems, but next to him should he ever needs it. The way she had always been. If only he knew just how much she lov- liked him.

"Sooooo… where do you think we are?" Ruby asked, aware that they had missed the most obvious question, and were standing in unknown territory, with Grimm ahead, and no idea how they got here or who could be watching, but were talking about their own personal pasts and giving away vital information.

"Looks a bit like a dungeon. Or a prison. Wait how did we get here?" Jaune asked the next sensible question, with no real explanation of the first coming to mind.

"I don't know, Jaune, but it is time to go find out. Ready to fight?" Eagerly, she deployed crescent rose's scythe form, and jumped towards the struggling Grimm. Without aura, they were slower than normal. But against these Grimm, it didn't matter. Nothing mattered but the light. And they were the Paragons.

End of chapter 1

 **(A/N Thanks for reading chapter 1, and please leave a review for feedback. In regards to areas, I aim for about 1-3 chapters per area, and will describe boss battles separately. This will be done in bracketed areas, with = signs across the line. Examples are above. Also, this is a RubyxJaune fic, and will have underlying romance. Any other questions will be answered in the A/Ns of other chapters, and explained, but please ask away anyway, just in case I forget. Chapters will be monthly, but are likely to be whenever I feel like it. Not meant offensively, but damn this is hard. Seriously. Why did no one warn me? Okay, I'll stop. Thanks all, and remember to like and subscribe. Hehehehe.**


	2. Arrival

**Grimm souls: Paragons**

 **(A/N Special thanks to Kinzarks, for his contribution to the series and his great response to my fiction, karlos1234ify for his riveting comment. For reference, my new fic: RWBY: Angelic is up now, but is nothing like this story. If you are looking for serious fics, it is ok, but if you hate OCs and poor plot for the sake of humour, it is not for you. Anyway, this one is the first real chapter with combat, and the first non-establishing chapter. As such, much will be different. Item descriptions are in bold and brackets, Souls and special descriptions in italic bold, NPC speech is normal, boss noises and or speech are regular bold, and writing about everything else in regular. Anyway, the chapter must begin.)**

 **P.S: The undead curse is not in this universe, as it would screw with the plot. Some enemies will be evil, instead of hollow, or just Grimm instead. Couldn't make the curse work. Maybe in a spinoff, if we get that far. But there will be DS enemies and items (maybe even weapons?), from 1 and 2, but also RWBY.**

 **P.S.S. I am not mentioning the 2** **nd** **asylum demon (the optional one) because it may not be mentioned in the story. It may not. It still might, but not necessarily. We will come back here though, with developed characters.**

 **Chapter 2: Valean Grimmlands asylum; east wing.**

As Ruby stepped over the cell's decrepit and weak door, she noticed that the Grimm here were weak, perhaps new-born, and barely able to see, let alone fight against the two hunters. While Jaune didn't think to question this, alarms sounded in Ruby's head. The Grimm were only birthed by strong, ancient souls. Clearly, one must be nearby. Which could only mean one thing. There was a primal Grimm here. One able to create other Grimm. Ruby remembered flashes of her last conscious seconds at Beacon. The Grimm dragon, spawning Grimm over her school, her friends, her family. Then, the light. After that, she and Jaune had awoken here.

She then realised she had been staring at a Grimm, which was currently facing a wall, not noticing the world around it. Luckily she

Realising this, she reloaded crescent rose, using her seemingly infinite ammunition. And began to tear into the baby Grimm. Slicing through the Grimm, she and Jaune walked calmly down the crumbling corridor, which was crawling with bugs, and had other but empty and rusting cells. However, faint messages were carved into the floor, which Jaune quickly read.

"Beware as the light is fading, beware as the dark returns." Jaune read, kneeling to read the text.

"That's ominous. What does it mean?" Ruby inquired, but not questioning the meaning.

"Looks like there might be something going on here. We should probably look around." Jaune stated the obvious, but Ruby didn't disagree, so they continued, and climbed a small set of stairs.

Reaching a small but murky pool, they met a rare sight, and one that confused them. Ruby quickly inspected it in great detail, using the scope of crescent rose to see the creature.

An aquatic Grimm. A weak and dying Grimm, which would likely perish before becoming a threat, but a mutated Grimm. Small, but looking different from normal Grimm. A spiked and sharp creature, with scales and long claws, looking like a large frog. They were fearsome when mature, but this one was young and as small as a dog. It was almost new-born, maybe only hours old. Its senses were developing quickly though, indicating that the darkness was very strong here. There were only few places like that in the world. Namely, the resting place of the strongest Grimm, which held the fragments of dark souls, and the Grimm nests, deep in the Grimmlands of each continent. But they were just legends. They weren't real.

By deduction, they were deep into the Grimmlands. Perhaps even in the abyssal land that some people had rumoured to have been in before Beacon. Lordran, the land of ancient souls, and the land of light and dark.

She was brought out of her thought by Jaune, who immediately asked "What do we do? The Grimm here are mutating. That means the darkness is strong somewhere around here."

Ruby said the only rational thing she could think of, considering the situation. "We go find it, and we go kill it. It spawns Grimm, and we are hunters." Ruby chirped out happily, remembering her training at Beacon, the Central academy of Vale. It didn't look like a place to teach teenagers, especially due to the large cathedral and spiralling elevator, but it served its purpose well.

Jaune agreed with Ruby, and waded into the water, slicing down the weakened aquatic Grimm, its head quickly severed from its deformed shoulders, and groaning out its dying breath. Jaune quickly left the water, and held Crocea Mors slightly tighter. The smell of decaying Grimm held in the air, and around the sword. He quickly left the room, and Ruby followed, ignoring the decaying Grimm.

They came head first to a ladder, which was slightly damp and broken at the bottom, showing that the water used to reach to here. Rust coated the ladder, but it did not strain under their weight. Ruby made to climb up, before Jaune stopped her.

"Ruby, let me go first" he stated shyly, but with a firm undertone.

"Uhhhh, OK" Ruby awkwardly replied, not understanding the meaning, but allowing him to continue.

 **Now entering: Valean Grimm asylum; Main courtyard.**

As they scrambled off of the ladder they had climbed, they realised just how dark the cells had been. The bright sun shocked and blinded them, making them grateful, but also surprised at how dark it had been in the cells. How long had they been here? Time felt convoluted, and they were not outside, where the light could be seen again. They marvelled at the sun, despite it being such a mundane sight to others.

"Jaune, seriously. Where are we?" Ruby asked, taking in the light, as well as the view. It truly was to be marvelled at, as not much old age architecture survived the dark ages, and the Grimmlands did not have many structures in it. This old building was being used to nest, apparently, meaning something important must be here, as the Grimm are drawn to the light, but only nest where some power can be felt, to protect it. Why were they here? What were they hiding?

"I don't know Ruby, but I guess we better find out, or we might not make it back to Beacon." Jaune seemed determined, and unlike they first met, he had the skill to back it up. He really was getting better, even if it was a slow progression. But Ruby felt something deeper in this statement, something that meant he was doubting it, or maybe even himself.

"Alright then. Let's do it" Ruby stated, trying to match Jaune's determined tone, but not quite to the same effect due to her still prepubescent voice.

Leaving the top of the small tower they had climbed, they came to a small, unlit and ashen bonfire, with a straight sword embedded deep within. Small sparks of light surrounded the bonfire, but were also flickering out as they left the area around the center of the bonfire. They slowly approached.

"Why is this here?" Jaune asked, aware that structures in the Grimmlands were rare, and this weak bonfire, especially one that exuded light, should have been destroyed by the Grimm.

"I don't know, but let's light it, it must be important if it is here." Ruby began to walk to the bonfire, as Jaune followed, slightly more cautiously.

Ruby knelt to look at the dull flame, wondering how to light it. Jaune suddenly stepped over her, placing his hand on the hilt of the sword lodged into the bonfire. He slowly forced his aura through the blade, which lit the flickering flame.

"Uhhhh, What?" Ruby questioned, not aware of how this was possible.

"Pyrrha taught me in our training. She thought I should have some survival skills." Jaune hesitantly explained, seeming to lose any good mood he had. "Guess she was right."

They both sat by the bonfire, sharing its warmth, and surveying the area. It was a large courtyard, large enough for the edges to have shadows of their own making, and doors large enough for a small house to fit through. Ruby thought that this must have been the place a giant lived, like in the old legends, while Jaune, with much more realism, concluded that it must have been the garrison hall of an army. They were both wrong. They just didn't know it.

After a short rest, the pair rose, reinvigorated from their stay in a cell, they stretched their muscles, and walked towards the door. It truly was giant, and Ruby could be forgiven for thinking it was for one. It appeared to be heavy wood, with a slight scent of rot, and a few holes near the floor, showing that it had been subject to the weather. Similarly, the roof above them had been slightly eroded, and had been dripping water, presumably long before Ruby and Jaune had got here.

"Where does it lead?" Jaune asked, seeing the giant door as an entrance, not an exit. He then summarised his thought. "It looks like it could hold an army"

"Yeah…. It does"

"Well, it won't open itself"

They slowly trudged towards the doors, preparing for what could be behind it. Crocea Mors and Crescent rose deployed, they took the final steps towards the decrepit door. And it croaked open.

 **(A/N. Long-time no see. Sorry. I have been swamped in college (UK!) work, and haven't had time literally. This is a short chapter because of that, and the structure of this fic. I plan to do a chapter for each bonfire, or until a major event/NPC/Boss. Tell me what you think.** **However, its Easter now, so more fic content. Once again, big thanks to Kinzarks, my motivational coach. Not really, but get ready for his fics. He has a killer idea that I hope to read soon. GL. But, I digress. Thanks for your support.)**


	3. Dominance

**Grimm souls: Paragons chapter 3**

 **(A/N: Got my first hate comment. Yay! +1 hater. Love you non hating guys. And some of the haters. To those who don't care or just hate, don't bother reading. For the guy (s) that say this is a crossover, yes, but suck it. Too late now. The idea changed somewhere in the second chapter, and I forgot to change it. But, time to continue. Since there still isn't many comments or people with feedback, no shoutout. Plz, more feedback. Sooo…..)**

As the large door creaked open, it caught slightly on the hinges, making a slight grinding, which echoed across the empty courtyard. As the rays of light began to filter through the opening door, Ruby and Jaune decided it was not an army encampment. Or a Giant's house. Its purpose was lost to time, and the stonemasonry and brickwork showed this, as the masonry crumbled around them, they surveyed the area. Cracked and crumbling vases lined the walls, and pillars stretched towards the heavens. One wall had a door, rusted and weak, probably due to the endless march of time.

Slowly, they began to walk forward, entrance by the grandeur. The door before them matched the door behind in size and colour, but not in style. It was ornate, and built of a simpler time. The carving was of an old legend, two great heroes of light, fighting the two vessels of darkness. An old legend, but considering the age of this building…

As they reached the centre of the room, it began to dip, showing that something had landed here, hard. Perhaps even multiple times. The stone bricks were pulverised, showing that whatever did land here was heavy. Extremely so.

Jaune, conveniently, looked up from this disturbance, pondering what could have caused this. Of course, he looked straight into the eyes of the demon that did this. Slowly he whispered to Ruby "Ruby, very slowly walk right." He muttered, aware that sudden movements would draw attention.

Typically, Ruby turned to him in the most obvious way possible, unaware and unassuming, asking the obvious. "Why? What's wrong Jaune?" She asked, oblivious to the danger. She took half a step forward to look at Jaune, before following his gaze. "Oh."

Sensing the miniscule movement, it leaped. Its weight and pure size dragging him to the ground at ungodly speeds. Crushing the brickwork, and very nearly the pair below it. Luckily, they both had the reactions and skill to move apart, allowing both to survive the impact of whatever demon had landed before them.

Jaune, due to being aware of the demon, had already thought of a plan. Run. He knew they could take this thing, even in their current state, with their weapons weakened and their auras weak, but they would surely be wounded. So, they could run for the door, and live to fight another day. Or at least, that was his plan.

"Jaune, are you OK?" Ruby screeched, hoping to be heard over the loud reverberation echoing from the hall.

"Ruby, the door!" Jaune shouted, beginning to run, and readied his shield. He began to block the staggering blow that the demon had attempted to apply, before being pushed aside. Ruby had dove on him, pushing him aside, and rolling out of the way of the large hulking beast.

At this point, both of them were fully aware of the situation, and realised that this was a big fight. A large Grimm, surely old enough and strong enough to birth Grimm, but not with the advantage of deadly speed. Its weapon was a large, heavy hammer, made of what looked to be solid stone, or perhaps some rudimentary mixture of Iron and rock. It must have been 5 foot tall, with the handle and head creating a monstrous image, especially when paired with the winged demon holding it.

And it was a demon. Standing at almost 10ft, it was truly hulking. Its previous grandeur and ferocity had been marred, much like the room around it. The skin which was meant to be a midnight black was a mouldy green, and it seemed to have a coat of moss. This extended to its horrific, bone like wings, which were almost demonic. Coated in moss, it could almost be mistaken for a statue, and it looked as if it had stood for years upon end. But the most concerning thing for the duo before it was the weapon. No grimm carried weapons. Ever.

The short glances were over. A decision needed to be made. They ran for the hills.

Jaune was quickly overtaken by a semblance enhanced Ruby, but still rushed faster than the demon could swing. Passing the small pillars decking the walls, he heard a large rush of air, indicating a swing. Before beacon, he may not have noticed it, but with his hunter-trained body, he knew how close it was.

The door they saw was not a conventional one. It had begun to peel from its hinges, and surely would take time to open. Normally. Being hunters, they decided on the fast route.

Via Jaune running through the metal door, and straight past Ruby, who was preparing to cut it off the frame. Not seeming at all shocked, she quickly followed. Even with its monstrous strength, there was no way it could get them here.

"We have to fight that thing again, don't we?" Jaune knew the answer, but needed to ask just in case.

"Yep."

"Where are we?"

"It looks like a prison." It was clear to Ruby now, with cells and Grimm, they must have been attracted by the negative emotion. But why would they stay?

They walked out of the small corridor, seeing some torch brackets lining the walls. But they were lit. In a place like this, who would create light?

Slowly walking through a nearby doorway, a bonfire was found. Once again, it was flickering, and near to fading, perhaps from the Grimm nearby draining its light.

They gave it thought, but could find no rational explanation. It was a building from the dark ages, deep in the Valean Grimmlands. No human should be here, no reason should make anyone but the strongest hunters come here.

Quickly, they set their minds to the task at hand, without really knowing what goal it would accomplish.

Jaune once again passed his aura through the sword, allowing a small flame to grow, rejuvenating the small scrape wounds they had sustained from hitting the door and floor, most of which Jaune carried.

They rested at a bonfire once more, without really knowing why…

Meanwhile, another presence stirred in the asylum, weak and dying. It could only hope to live long enough to be found, and pass on his final words, and his legacy.

 **(A/N: So, another small chapter, I know. There will be some, where the heroes only perform meaningless tasks, talk to NPC's, fight a complex boss, or have a short bonfire area. It will happen. However, most chapters will be longer than these, as they are in the shortest area in the game. Also, things will change from the game and RWBY, and will not be the same. I.E. the door was a slide down trap, not a hinged door, but plot devices. Suck it.**

 **For those wondering, Aura is going to represent health and mana, while stamina will be unchanged. But, there is going to be items, and boy will they be fun… Reviews plz. Preferably non haters, but I don't mind constructive criticism, as long as you give me a solution, other than "stop, you suck, your terrible." IDC, but give me a way to fix it. Anyway, beginning work on the next chapter now, while I can at Easter. Ciao.)**


	4. First encounter

**Grimm souls: Paragons Chapter 4**

 **(A/N: New chapter. Written right after 3. Got to love holidays. Anyway, DS3 came out. Not gonna play it. Rip off of bloodborne, reskinned? No thanks, I'll just NG+10 ND DS2 again. The shoutout of the chapter goes to trigunner and nanayalucas, for both of their support. They were a starting point, just like kinzarks and karlos 1234ify, and their support is appreciated. This chapter was fun to write, as it copied some traits of my favourite author. George R.R. Martin. ASOIAF. In addition, to anyone who says these A/Ns are fan service and ass kissingly long, why are you still reading? Just read the damn chapter. Or leave. Actually, don't leave. Plz senpai…**

 **Just looked at my visitor graph, and it is special. I didn't know Andorra or Guam [UK ignorance, sorry] were countries, let alone knowing people there could read fluent English [not offensively meant, I don't know what your native language is] I have over 700 people who have viewed this. Insane. From countries I have never heard of. Even more insane. Thank you for every single one. I really am thankful, even if it sounds like every other suck up on the internet. Ass kissers. Anyway, on with the literature. )**

 **Now entering: Valean Grimmlands asylum: Northern battlements**

Rising again, Jaune and Ruby felt a small urge to sit back down, and stay. Fire is warm, and they wouldn't have to fight the Grimm. However, upon walking past a similar pool to the one before, except empty, they realised the Grimm weren't the only things that would hurt them.

After walking through a small yet ornate door, they came to a halt. A corridor of cells, with some rotted, worn and battered. But, at the far end…

A human. Or something…

"Hello?" Ruby asked, her voice shaking, clearly showing her nerves. Jaune thought it could be a way to protect herself, as no one would hurt an innocent little girl. Then, the rational part of his brain kicked in, reminding him that he was just as scared.

It moved, a quick glance, then a small turn. Then a bow appears, its string taut, and its arrow nocked. Immediately, they recognised that this would only end one way. The arrow shot towards them at almost supersonic speeds, somehow the common longbow allowed this, but their huntsman training brought them to a level above. Jaune's shield blocked the arrow, and absorbed most of the impact. Ruby cowered behind Jaune, knowing she stood no chance of dodging in the tiny corridor, and with Jaune beside her, why should she?

They slowly edged forwards, with Jaune's eyes focused solely on the arrows, flying continuously to his shield, numbing his arm, which was beginning to weaken from fatigue. Ruby inspected the corridor.

It was an extremely narrow corridor, with about the width of two doors across, but was long enough for the multitude of cells to hold many prisoners. Shadows coated the corners, but torches lit the main area, including the cells adjacent to them. All were rusted, but some worse than others. A nearby one had no bars, but the frame remained. She told Jaune.

"Jaune, on your left, go in." She bluntly stated, hoping he would pick up her words over the constant and rhythmic thudding of his shield slowly being chipped at. Luckily, he heard, and dove for cover, as his arm lost its stamina and will to continue. He quickly familiarised himself with his surroundings, as his focus had been so firmly set on the danger of flying arrows. He saw a small glow emanating from a shady corner, and began to approach.

He wished he hadn't. He saw a slightly decomposed corpse, with most of its skin missing, and some clear scarring. Just as his brain kicked up a notch, and told him to hide this from Ruby, she appeared beside him.

Needless to say, she wasn't very well. Or at least that was what Jaune thought.

"I have seen this before, you know." That shocked him. He hadn't seen death, but it didn't shock him. He knew it was part of life. Ruby was innocent. Surely she hadn't been subjected to such a cruel world?

"We'll talk about this later." She concluded, with a resolute look in her eyes. He knew there were better times to talk, so he took the slightly flickering object. As he touched it, the glow dissipated, and he lifted the object. A shield. It seemed to be on its last legs, but he took it anyway, as a eulogy to the dead.

 **Obtained shield: Fractured plate shield**

 **Much like the body and soul of its owner, this shield rested inside the asylum broken and bent ready for the day it would crumble to dust. Yet, it seems to resonate an eerie resilience, as if resisting the passage of time.**

 **Physical block: 40**

 **Magic block: 20**

 **Fire block: 10**

Knowing that this shield would not defend against anything as well as his one, he quickly readied his shield, and began to walk towards the door again. He observed the corridor, in less detail, but with much more attached thought. A mossy floor, some cells, visibly weak, and what he knew to be a hostile archer, with a curved bow in one hand. He was no hunter, using such primitive weapons and armor was unheard of, despite Jaune being as scruffily presented.

"Ruby, do you think you can hit the archer from here?" Jaune asked, the gears in his mind working, making a plan as he walked to the cell's entrance.

"Jaune I am insulted. My baby can hit anything." She proudly announced, but he was more asking to humour her, than actually ask the question.

"Get behind me, and shoot over the shield between his shots. It's his weakness." Jaune made an astute observation, but Ruby had begun to accept this. Jaune was a tactical genius, but not a fighting one. That was what had made JNPR remarkable. She followed his plan out of faith, and knew it would probably work.

It did. It was a horrible sound hearing Jaune's shield ringing from the arrows, and even more so with the low hum of his aura, now working to heal his arm. She knew he had massive aura reserves, perhaps the biggest of the students of beacon. But it was still being worn down by the constant damage. She knew it had to be now, or the stamina and aura of Jaune would break. And it would be a disaster. So she lined up the shot. Jaune's shield moved, and she fired.

A large hole appeared in its armor, and its chest. The clanging of the bullet hitting the wall behind and the dropping of a body followed. They slowly walked down the decaying corridor, seeing more cells lining the walls. The moss hung from the high ceiling, almost touching the floors in the gaps between the cells, and moulding into the cracks in the floors in some places. Stray vines also covered the ceiling, but did not impede upon their path. The slow crunching of the cobblestones beneath their feet accompanied the otherwise silent walk, and reverberated across the narrow space.

When they reached they reached the body, they realised the extent of their luck. This was not a hunter. The soldier's aura was weak enough to be a civilian, and couldn't block a single shot from crescent rose, with armour of common steel, and a weapon that looked like a common foot soldier. It was the epitome of regularity. But what irked them was the face beneath the common helmet.

It was a mess of brown flesh and bone, as if it had been left to decay for years, perhaps even an animated corpse from one of the cells. However, to stand like that must have required muscle power. Muscles which, upon looking down, Ruby realised that the soldier didn't possess.

"Jaune, what is this?" She asked, with slight repulsion in her voice and obvious confusion. What she saw should have been impossible, a man standing on legs with destroyed, ripped and torn muscles. Chipped bones, dislocations and fractures, yet he stood, ready to wield a bow against anyone who would try to enter this corridor. She was pulled from thought to look at Jaune, who had gone to inspect another body on the floor, with a longsword beside it, but one arm missing, and a myriad of other bones broken. He seemed to be inspecting the longsword, and comparing to his own.

 **Obtained: Longsword**

 **A common weapon, with no exceptional properties, other than the large amount of moss coating the blade from the long passage of time that it has sat in the possession of the corpses that possess such trivial weapons.**

"They are corpses. They're dead people reanimated." Jaune interpreted from the surroundings, empty cells and other corpses that lay around with multiple wounds. "They might get back up, we should move." He stated, grabbing the longsword.

"Why do you keep picking up other weapons? And where are you putting them?" Questions started entering Ruby's mind, and she instantly voiced them without thought.

"Because you never know what you might need, and I'd rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it?" Jaune stated, his reasoning sound, but still with a hint of questioning in his tone.

Ruby, though sceptical, only continued to ask her other question. "And the second question?" she inquired

"Nora and Ren gave me this before whatever brought us here. It's called the bottomless box, and apparently can hold everything. Unfortunately, it takes time to access."

"Ooooo, I want one!" She squealed, excited by the thought of infinite weaponry. Or infinite cookies.

"Sorry Ruby, they told me it was handmade, you will have to ask them when we are back in vale." Jaune seemed unsure, perhaps even nervous that Vale and Beacon had fallen. Ruby didn't know, and apparently neither did Jaune. Either way, Ruby didn't want to breach the subject now.

"Let's go find them then, Jaune."

With that, they left the long corridor, and entered a small entrance with some stairs leading to a door, which was entrenched in fog, and seemed to shift and spread shadow across the well- lit room. Even the torches were almost overshadowed by the foggy gate above the staircase. As Jaune and Ruby climbed the stairs, the gate continued to swirl, almost entrancing them to enter.

"Ruby, do you know what that is? It looks like it is moving" Jaune asked, seeing the wall almost trying to absorb the light, swirling around the door.

"No, I think it is moving though…" She trailed off into thought as to what it could be, or could be behind it.

Jaune and Ruby stepped closer, almost within arms width, and looked deeper into the fog. They saw nothing, but felt obliged to continue, as if the door pulled at their soul.

Slowly, and somehow in complete coordination, they reached out together. And their hands penetrated the fog.

Jaune and Ruby felt a small pull forward, and walked through the fog.

They were suddenly faced with another cell, but clogged by a broken door and rubble. They turned right, and were greeted with a great sight.

It was an entire overview of the courtyard they had previously inhabited, with the bonfire still burning, despite the time that had passed. The extent of the damage that time had done to this place became evident from here. The balcony allowed both of them to see the clear destruction that had happened here, either by the march of man or nature. They could see the hole left in the roof, the cracks in the masonry, the long forgotten pillars and the badly maintained steps. It truly was dilapidated, but it looked even more ruinous from above, seeing the bigger picture. Jaune and Ruby marvelled at the aging buildings, as only Ruby had seen such utter devastation at mountain Glenn, but even then, she could see the difference between the Grimm's mindless destruction, and the steady erosion, due to the countless centuries and prisoners that had come and gone. Clearly, only some of them had gone.

Turning away from the mesmerising sight, they began to the walk towards a set of stairs, no longer covered in moss, but still cracked and broken, showing that this area must have inhabitants, but still be old enough for the years to have taken effect. Slowly, they rounded a corner, revealing the rest of the stairs.

They were crumbling apart, with a set leading up, ready to divide in on itself, with another set leading down, which had cracked under the weight of another staircase above it. However, what really shocked them was the large ball at the top of the stairs, presumably ready to fall and crush the person beneath. Ruby knew from simple common sense that even aura wouldn't protect from being crushed by the pure weight of the metal ball above them. Jaune, being decidedly slower than Ruby, he had unassumingly begun walking up the stairs, unaware of his surroundings. She wondered how Jaune had come up with the plan to fight earlier, and managed to repetitively block arrows, using aura, but couldn't sense danger, the most common skill of an aura user. He had learnt nothing from natural control, but had managed to learn how to activate and pool his area in a single limb. A skill even her team couldn't handle fully. Apparently Pyrrha's training had paid off…

She was so concerned with her inner monologue that she had let Jaune walk up three steps before realising the danger. Perhaps she wasn't as masterful as she hoped him to be…

"Jaune!" Ruby's yell pulled his attention, predictably startling him. However, this also seemed to startle something else, which caused the ball to begin rolling down the stairs. Luckily, due to the gradient of the stairs, it had begun rolling slowly, with the momentum slowly building to crush Jaune.

Jaune had a clear moment of clarity, looking into Ruby's eyes, before turning to see the oncoming object. With a surprising display of agility, he roughly rolled sideways, falling onto the lower staircase with a resounding crack of armour against brick and stone. Clearly he would have been seriously hurt if not for the great athletic display. Ruby quickly took one step to dodge the now speeding ball, almost subconsciously. A large crack echoed as the wall behind the stairs was pulverised, and dust filled a small area of the space.

A small cough came from the small and now shrouded room, which Jaune turned to. Ruby looked up to the top of the stairs, and saw another corpse, carrying a broken longsword, detached near the hilt. Ruby realised it may be unsafe to run into the room with an armed soldier following them, so quickly ascended the stairs, while Jaune entered the room, with another rasping cough.

Upon reaching the top of the stairs, Ruby inspected the living corpse, which was now focusing on her, seemingly copying her.

It amazed her. It was a mass of flesh and bone, with evident decay working to rend it useless once more. The muscles, presumably due to the oxygen and the constant use, had worn them down to strings, or simply eroded them beyond recognition. She had no idea how it moved, it just seemed to move through sheer force of will, or perhaps hunger. Its weapon was primitive at best. She doubted it could pierce Jaune's aura at all, and probably couldn't cut her weaker one, despite her lack of proper armour and protection. It was a classic longsword. Now, it is a hilt, aged and nicked enough to convince her that it had probably been used before being imprisoned here, and perhaps used on the bars and walls to escape. It may have been well kept before the passing time had broken the brittle steel, but now it had been covered in grime, moss and filth. It wore basic armour, similar to the common atlesian knight. In a past life, it may have been another soldier, as the armour seemed similar, yet much less damaged. That indicated that perhaps it had fought before. This was backed up by the marks adorning the armour, which mainly consisted of puncture wounds and Grimm claws. Clearly they had been sent to clear the Grimm, and had been killed in the process. The Grimm suddenly decided it had judged its opponent, and begun to move. She attributed its sluggishness and sloppy technique to the rotted body and mind, but also to the almost non-existent aura. It was present in the previous soldier, too. Clearly, whatever had reanimated them had weakened their soul, or perhaps this was caused by the time it had spent here, and related to the reanimation.

She simply stepped back from the small blade, not even bothering to concentrate against such weak enemies. They were clearly incompetent soldiers in life, perhaps able to match one hunter per squad. The bowman earlier seemed to have used the advantage of range well, despite using a weak weapon. The rudimentary equipment clearly was only a part of the reason she and Jaune could demolish such easy opponents in single combat. Hunter training was the best you could get. Even Jaune had become smarter and stronger under their teacher's tutelage, despite his obvious weakness and ineptitude.

It swung again. She simply repeated the action, and continued to ignore the mindless corpse. She observed that the technique behind the strikes, and made a few remarks. It was not uncommon, perhaps military trained, and definitely used before. However, it seemed that the technique had begun to become stale and, with the inactivity, had been eroded just like the area around them.

This time, it swung in a slightly larger arc. Ruby's training kicked in, with her thoughts still not advancing above cookies, combat techniques and possible Grimm attacks, and she swung crescent rose. What concerned her more came after.

No blood came from the wound, and only sound indicated that she had struck an opponent. A high pitched wail emanated from the victim, displaying the pain and subsequent death.

This was still not the most daunting thing that Ruby, who was now fully aware and concentrating, saw.

It simply fell. With no loss of balance or power, it simply crumpled and fell to the floor. This combined with the lack of physical scarring had left he shocked.

This only triggered her thought a second, before she realised what she had seen. Whatever force that had reanimated it had left the body, letting it fall. It had been simply an illusion. So had the archer earlier, they had simply been too far away to see the lights in the corpses eyes fade. This time, the momentum of the strike should have slowed upon cleaving through the target. It didn't. It was as if she had simply sliced through the soul of the corpse.

With this realisation, she rushed down the cracked stairs, and into the hole in the wall.

She saw two knights.

One was Jaune, his armour now covered in dust, but still gleaming white due to the sun from the hole in the roof, which also sent the light onto another knight. Or, more specifically, his weapon

A Dust Mace.

 **(A/N: Ayyy, suspense. Double the amount of words, reaching an NPC for this area. Got a lot longer chapter, even though we covered much less distance, mainly because the area was much more pronounced, and had better detail. To be honest, chapters will be like this, and can be short or long.**

 **Similarly, tell me what you think of the item descriptions, and how they interact with the characters. It really was hard writing the trap, and rodentfish helped out. Please tell me if I have missed anything, scrutiny is appreciated. Anyway, good to see more viewers, and more fans. I am haz big fan. Plz leave your reviews and comments, my ideas don't steal themselves…..)**


	5. Hello darkness, my old friend

**Grimm souls: Paragons chapter 5**

 **(A/N: Moar fans and flamers! It's hotter (in both ways.) than Pyrrha up in here (I'll show myself out.). The support is good. Love having you guys, and to be followed. But plz, not in the shower. No following me in there. Ewww. Did you just think of that? WTF?**

 **Anyway. Big shoutout to Rodentfish, CoolhandJaune and Kirjoitabls (spellings? How does?) For their help. Remember young pupil, there is no shortcut to mastery. Once again, thanks to Kinzarks, who has now spammed my emails so much that it has blocked him for auto-spam, and has helped so much so far. RubyxJaune begins now, but slow burn. Also, people (you know who you are) have pointed out spelling mistakes. Yes, I don't spell every three thousand words right, every time, perfectly. Shocking. Spell check is useless, as it just says the wrong words 60% of the time, and American spellings the other times. Sorry, and will try my best, but I am not thesaurus. (get it?) Gonna be fun to see this one. Let the dream and ship burning begin!)**

 **(Name shoutout to Cordless Jet, Oscar Lawrence and Dan Leadly, for the name of the ruined new londo. Final name from Dan Leadly, but thanks and appreciation for the submissions from the others. I recommend checking out RWBY UK, RWBY OC UK, and RWBY OC nation. All of them are great communities, and not just for OC's, but also for cosplay and support, as well as some humour.)**

 **Valean Grimmlands asylum: The forgotten cell.**

"Cardin?" Ruby still couldn't believe it. Out here, in what she and Jaune believe to be the Valean Grimmlands, Cardin Winchester, the completely cynical, bullying, racist. In the Grimmlands, and bleeding heavily, having been forced through the ceiling.

"Who else uses a dust mace and wears this armour?" He asked spitefully, clearly reverting to the way he was before Jaune's lesson, and becoming much more sinister. If there was such a time to become a cynic, was it when staring at death's door?

Jaune saw Ruby's face become pale, losing its common look of blissful ignorance, and beginning to deteriorate. 'He really has changed, maybe the blood loss is…. Really serious' Jaune thought to himself, worrying for Cardin's health more than Ruby's innocence, which he knew would be restored immediately after eating some cookies, or modifying crescent rose. Cardin's health wouldn't suddenly change. Or at least, not for the better…

And Cardin was in a sorry state. No one could argue that, it had become an undeniable truth. Almost fate.

Even Ruby, with her childish tendancy of fabling even trivial things, could not make this into a beautiful tale. He was hurt. Bad. Blood ran from his collar to his abdomen, coating his armour in a crimson spray, which had begun to encrust due to oxidation. Jaune suspected that the poor kid had broken his collarbone, shoulder, and possibly multiple ribs. His blood had also spread to his weapon, tainting the handle and shaft a vile red. It almost felt right, considering the pool now covering the ruined brickwork beneath him.

His face had twisted into a painful grimace that reflected the extent of his pain. It had undoubtedly been taxing to lay awake, even if the blood and pain hadn't coated his tiring form. It was clear from the large hole in the roof, and the prominent crush wounds, that the demon they had faced earlier had fought him, probably on the roof, and he had been struck down into this room, with no escape available, and only time to accompany him. It was a horrible fate, and one that seemed entirely too coincidental.

"Why are you here, Cardin?" Jaune asked, focusing on the simplest questions, while still trying to remain positive, and show care with his voice. Clearly, this was not the right choice.

"Really? That is the first question you ask?" Cardin sneered and choked out, even making Jaune's mood sombre, despite the attempt at conversation.

Ruby knew that this could only feel horrible for Cardin, and needed to help him. 'Maybe he can be saved' she thought, trying to alleviate her stress and his pain, but finding no way to aid his ailment.

"Can we help you, do you have anything with you?" Ruby asked, trying to sound as polite as Jaune, but only amplifying her already worried tone. She was almost shaking with nerves, mainly because she hated seeing someone hurt. She suddenly realised she was sitting next to him, holding his arm and sobbing. Her lack of control had never concerned her, but she realised just how little control she had. 'Obviously he has nothing with him, he was just smashed through a roof, and all his possessions are scattered and broken around the room in the rubble. He needs help, come on Ruby.' She mentally scolded herself.

Recollecting her composure, she began to check his aura, using hers own to find his. It was faint, and only emitting a small and weak vibration, slowly weakening from the strain of preventing blood loss, shock and pain. It was clear that only a miracle would save him, even if he wasn't deep in the Grimmlands and in an unclean and monstrous asylum.

"Listen." He said loudly, the rasping in his voice receding slightly, as determination rung through, attempting to deliver a message to those he called his friends before him. "There was a divination in my family, in which heroes of light were chosen. The paragons were to ring the bells of awakening, find the dark souls, and end their existences. It was rumoured that two families would produce two great heroes, and fight the dark as one." He ended the recollection, expecting them to follow his meaning.

Unfortunately, Jaune was too dense, and Ruby to youthful to do this.

"What's a paragon?" Ruby asked, in her adorable but confused voice

"What families?" Jaune asked, a second later, but still couldn't think of any warrior families that were born to fight the dark.

With clear spite and rage in his voice, Cardin retorted, almost seeming bitter about the concept of the heroes.

"One was descended from a female line, with silver eyes, that could strike a Grimm down with a look. The other was descended from a male line, who were the protectors of the earth, and born to defend its inhabitants." Cardin recited, the pure resentment leaking from his voice.

Jaune spoke his mind first, but clearly not thinking his thoughts through. "Ha, my family said that was a ridiculous fairy-tale." Suddenly, he came to the realisation that the prophetic story could have been real. Some old families had held these stories as destiny, and attempted to seek the dark souls. They never usually found anything but the ruin of their houses, mind you. Those that did survive hunting for these old legends usually came home with nothing but some newfound knowledge, or some legendary relic. The Arcs had never done this, more concerned with the more immediate issues.

"Jaune." Cardin muttered, his voice becoming weaker and huskier with every passing moment, "Take this, it is an aura flask, built to replenish weakened and low auras. It was passed down through some families from the dark ages, or taken from Lordran, like mine. It can be filled at places of light like the bonfires, or made stronger with shards of others. May it ease your fight" Cardin almost whispered, his voice cracking and becoming almost pleading, as if speaking to whatever god had brought him here.

'So it is true…. The estus shards, and the legend of Lordran. The ancient souls, the dragon's remnants, and even the great ruins of Varosha, beneath the great shrines, and the rumoured location of the abyss.' Jaune's mindscape was a maze of legends and

"Cardin, why don't you use it? It can-"Ruby hopefully blurted out, attempting to lessen his pain, and save him… Before Cardin cut her off that is.

"No. It's too late for me." Cardin almost wrote his own eulogy, giving this to them. His last lifeline, and a family treasure that represented his family's prowess. Not many could survive the trip, even less could bring a relic back. "Be careful of the creatures that roam the area. They can't be saved. Not after she has tainted them."

His voice pleaded once more, as his last words spewed out. "Take this, and make sure everyone knows about me. I don't want to be forgotten." Cardin's face had paled in the time he had spent here, and with the daylight shining on him one could see the extent of his blood loss.

 **Acquired item: Aural estus flask**

 **An unknown flask, belonging to an old hero of the Winchester family. This flask earned them respect and power, but was hidden as their secret. Over time, it became fabled as a tale, yet the effect remained.**

 **Can be forged stronger with the shards of others by those who know the secrets of Aura and estus.**

 **Acquired item: Winchester Dust Mace**

 **A family memorabilia belonging to Cardin Winchester. A deadly and intimidating weapon that could crush conventional armor, Grimm and aura, but causes no wounds. This weapon requires great strength to use effectively, and is a testament to the power of the Winchester lineage.**

 **Perhaps it can still be used to avenge the last child of the lineage…**

 **Acquired item: Undead asylum; east wing key**

 **A rusted key, clearly for some place beyond recollection.**

 **This key unlocks the east wing's courtyard entrance, in a hidden asylum for those who had committed forgotten crimes. Though the years had clearly worn down their sanity, what could explain the reanimation of the previously lifeless souls?**

"There, now let me rest, and tell those I knew that I love them." Cardin spoke, his will being mentally noted by Ruby and Jaune. They both accepted this, seeming to agree quickly, despite having to leave Cardin. It was clear to Cardin that the challenges that had changed the rest of the people at Beacon had affected Ruby and Jaune, making them aware of the extent of the issues of the world. Clearly, they had grown tougher. 'They can do this. Damn, why couldn't I be the hero?' Cardin lamented, wanting his moment in the sun. But what did he leave as a legacy?

"We will. I promise. But you can't die, just rest, we will see you when we get back to Beacon." Ruby chirped happily, contradicting her previous nature, while also showing that naiveté and innocence. She seemed optimistic, but her thoughts betrayed her face, knowing there was no chance for Cardin, despite fooling Jaune.

"Goodbye Cardin, have a good rest." Jaune said, his voice cracking, tears threatening to fill his eyes, and his face screwing up. Slowly, he left the small cell, with Ruby on his heels, looking back on their old friend. They knew what would happen to him, but vowed to bring his final words home, and tell Cardin's story.

Remorsefully, they walked out of the cell, hearing rasping breaths and small groans coming gradually until they walked up the stairs, hearing a final groan before leaving their hearing range. They climbed the steps slower than normal, mourning their fallen comrade.

"Jaune, have some of the flask, you cut yourself on the way down those steps." Ruby offered, seeing the multiple cuts adorning his face and arms, as well as contemplating the bruises that must have been caused by the falling from the stairs, as well as the combat with the archer earlier. She was untouched, only shaken by the demon that dropped next to her.

Jaune politely followed the request, bringing out the flask, and examining it first. It glowed an almost entrancing and unearthly white, matching Jaune's armour. It stirred within the flask with every movement, yet remained filled to the brim. He slowly raised it to his mouth, with no smell accompanying the strange liquid.

He took a moderate swig of the liquid, restoring his aura almost immediately. He felt better, with the myriad of scratches being healed quickly, and his aura regaining a slight glow.

"What was it like?" Ruby asked, not wondering on anything other than taste, despite the relic being fabled, and the strange liquid still emitting light.

"It tastes kinda like Sunny-D." Jaune responded, in a similar tone, and seeming uninterested in the flask. Somehow, they both managed to overcome their sense of mystery, and instead questioned simple flavour. It showed both of their virtue, and the sense of childlike wonder they both retained, even after seeing and aiding a dying friend. It was a testament to their willpower and mental fortitude that they were able to continue, but that was the job of a hunter.

"Huh." Ruby blankly said, still somewhat scarred from the previous events, but also interested in the flask. She had never heard of this tale before, even though she had heard numerous stories from Qrow, Yang and her Dad. 'I wonder if there are any tales about this place' Ruby wondered, following more of the thoughts her mind, without actual control over her thought.

"Let's go, Ruby, we need to find a way back to beacon. Do you need some of the estus?" Jaune asked, trying to allow her to heal any wounds she had taken. He could not sense any wounds, but his aura was a wall. Not meant to be used offensively, he could not use his aura without it touching him. However, it was the densest and most resilient aura Ruby had ever seen. She, much like her team, commented often that it matched his personality, and was his real power. 'It seems like a lifetime ago' Ruby mused, remembering the first two semesters of her life at Beacon, and all the adventures. She had no idea this could happen, that this place existed, or even that Beacon was safe. Her friends and family, all those she loved. They needed her, and she needed them. She needed to get back, and get her friends.

"No. Let's get back." She resolved, determined to return to her friends as soon as possible. With this thought, she opened the door at the top of the stairs, seeing the sun in the distance.

It truly reminded her of a simpler time, when she and team RWBY had sat on the edge of the airfield, looking down on the town of vale at sunset. All her troubles revolved around her studying, and her precious scythe. Now, she had to worry for her team, for her family, and for Jaune. She wondered what could possibly be going through his head, after his team and friends had been lost. He was close with all of team RWBY and, after the two teams had bonded, they became a family and almost inseparable, even in the fall of Beacon. She hoped her thoughts were mirrored, with mutual worry between their teams.

She was wrong. Jaune held worry for everyone in Beacon, instead of just his team. He knew that every life was just as important as his team, despite still favouring them. He lacked the optimism of Ruby, knowing that not all teams were as strong as RWBY and the now three-way pairing of JNR, and wouldn't survive the fall of Beacon. While their idealism had made them different, the concern bound them, both fighting for their friends' lives more than their own, and determined to see the smiles of their loved ones one more time.

With this in mind, Jaune and Ruby marched onto the middle of a small battlements, almost perfectly square, but with a corner tower in the far side, jutting out as a makeshift defence for whatever force could ever think off assaulting this tower from the endless forests below.

Jaune noticed another small glow radiating from a corpse which hung from the balcony, with a body full of arrows. Clearly the warrior earlier was not alone, Ruby summarised, seeing the body full of arrows, but looking as if before it was killed, it had grown around the arrows. In contrast to the archer from the corridor, both the warrior at the top of the stairs and this one had something unique.

The eyes. They burned black with hatred, as if made by some vengeful sprit who hated them for simply being. She realised the inconsistencies between the soldiers slowly, but came to a realisation suddenly after her mind sorted through the information.

She hadn't seen the eyes of the first, due to the range, and she hadn't bothered to check the eyes of her victim. She had seen the hole, and the body crumpled. She had assumed that had meant it was dead and gone, beyond reanimation. Clearly, she hadn't thought it through. The cut she had made in the rotten soldier before must have been healed instantly, or she had simply missed the wound. They had both undoubtedly died, as the wail must have been too quiet to hear over the ringing and the clanging of the bullet the first time, but she should have had more caution. She wondered if Jaune noticed, but wandered

Clearly things were not as they seemed, and she only knew one person who could have answers.

Ozpin.

Neither of the pair knew where he was, or even if he was alive, but resolutely believed that if anyone knew, it would be Ozpin.

Jaune was now walking towards the glow that had begun Ruby's train of thought, examining the corpse. He slowly got closer, seeing the eyes and the extra-terrestrial glow, and realising that something was wrong, turned to Ruby.

At this moment, the bowman that must have killed the warrior saw Jaune, and the strum of a bowstring accompanied a quick whistling sound.

The arrow embedded itself in Jaune's ribs, in the small valleys between his armour and his gut, and lodging itself in the flesh. Jaune had quickly reacted, flaring his aura to prevent his body from shutting down into shock, and reacting to the two troopers that had rushed forward.

Jaune quickly retreated, coming into a larger area, and being backed by Ruby. The two troopers that approached were of separate builds, one an agile spearmen, standing at an average height, just below Jaune. The other was Jaune's build, tall and lanky, yet slightly more decayed. He held a sword and shield, contrasting to the female's shield and spear.

Ruby quickly deployed Crescent rose, fully lengthening the rifle. Jaune raised his shield, fully aware of the arrow still in his ribs.

Ruby sprinted forward, seeming enraged at Jaune's injury, and sliced multiple times. It seemed as if these soldiers were as weak as the others, with the swordsman's guard being broken immediately, and a slice across the neck putting an end to another black eyed warrior.

Jaune dealt with the other with similar efficiency, parrying a wide swing of the spear, as Pyrrha had taught him, but allowing Ruby to deliver a riposte, eviscerating another neck of its innards.

With the threat dealt with Jaune pulled out the arrow and flask, taking another swing, and offering the same to Ruby. She declined, knowing they would need it for more than the tiniest amount of physical exertion, and could probably do that all day. They quickly approached the corner which Jaune had unwittingly peeked from, and turned it.

Jaune, reacting this time, had brought out his shield, protecting him and Ruby similarly to the previous encounter with the other archer, before executing the same manoeuvre to kill it. Due to the closeness of this soldier, they heard both the dying whine of the soldier, and the bullet clanging through the armour and bone of the decomposing creature. Finally, Jaune noted the burning black eyes, which he caught a glance of before they faded back to the pearly white orbs, devoid of all colour.

Beside them stood another foggy gate, a copy of the previous, but much larger. It seemed as if almost anything could fit through the gates, even an atlesian paladin, the mechanical behemoths that they had faced during the breach of mountain Glenn. She remembered the event vividly, and knew that event then her team and JNPR had pulled through for her. Even when she was outside Beacon, beyond JNPR's reach.

"There's another door here, and it looks like it might lead somewhere. What do you think, Ruby?" Jaune asked, valuing her opinion, as she was his best friend. Especially now that Pyrrha…

"Let's check it out!" Ruby half yelled, reminding Jaune of Nora, and her boundless energy in youth.

Ruby had come to like Jaune for his attention and courage, and now saw that his traits extended beyond that. He had a fierce loyalty, backed by almost Yang levels of care and protection. They were all admirable traits, but her favourite was unique.

He respected her as an equal, not as a child or a kid to be protected, or as a warrior to be praised. He treated her like everyone else, and that was all she needed. She would happily follow him to the depths of remnant, or the gates of Oum.

Entering the room, they had both noticed that the torches lining the walls were lower than the former ones, seeming to flicker towards the black eyed corpse in the center of the room. Both of them noted this, Ruby being completely sure of her hypothesis, and Jaune coming to the same one, even if less sure than Ruby, and with less evidence. Those black eyes….

The light seemed to distort around the well armoured knight, seeming to create a shroud, almost void-like in colour, despite the immense amount of light being devoured by the vacuum.

The light-sucking knight wielded a lance, an uncommon weapon, perhaps an adaption from a hunter's weapon repurposed. However, he also managed to hide behind the shield in his fancier armour, seeming to be a higher ranking officer, or perhaps a captain. The armour suggested an officer, due to the decorated and adorned armour, which may have shone if not for the countless years of degradation and grime.

The knight initiated the combat by charging with his lance, holding his shield in the off-hand, attempting to gore Ruby, while maintaining the defence against Jaune.

This didn't work well, with Ruby reflexively dodging the sharpened lance, and rolling sideways to avoid any backlash. Jaune slashed at the knight, hitting the pauldron of the knight, and causing minor scratching to the armour.

Ruby had now turned on the knight, seeing it turning to face Jaune in retaliation. Due to the advantage of numbers, the attack could never have ended well, but the animalistic killing intent had overpowered the shell of a man that remained. She simply had to slice the head from the corpse, and watch it fall. It wouldn't even take any effort, as the momentum wasn't even reduced by the corpses. Simply a soul to be sliced through. Physically intangible. She could probably punch it and cause damage due to the momentum continuing.

She didn't attack. She had been too lost in thought, and now Jaune was in a duel with the lancer. Due to his shorter range and being in an enclosed room, Jaune held the advantage. However, the battle was drawn out by the shields, prolonging the battle between the knights.

Suddenly, it was all over. Jaune had parried the black eyed knight, and had calmly countered. The classic longsword Crocea Mors passed through the gourget of the carcass effortlessly, and caused a large puncture wound, carving a large hole in the neck of the now re-deceased knight.

"Ruby?" Jaune inquired, worried as to her total seizure during combat, which had never happened before. He had good reason to worry, at least in his mind.

"Good work, Jaune. Let's see what's behind the big door" Ruby said, moving out of the room, and walking back over to the Enlarged and greyed door. Jaune quickly followed, now facing the fog wall.

They slowly entered the fog wall, emerging on a balcony, with no railings. Then, they looked down.

 **(A/N. Hey all, if you're reading this, you probably care enough to know and support my profile, as well as express you opinion in the reviews. For any who aren't familiar, all of my fiction is changed and shaped by the community, unless I have built my fiction around these central points. Please leave reviews!**

 **Also, you will note a few extra thigs that don't quite make sense yet, and a few errors in the continuum. My answer is DS lore, and everything DS is solved in time, and will be resolved. Also, Hollows are not androgynous, as male and female hollows will exist. +1 Equality! Just wait for some questions, as not all of them are answered immediately.**

 **Everything is under the influence of you! Anyway, for anything else, my PM box is always open, even to the haters. I will just ignore or argue with you, and cause a debate, until you leave, or I decide to change the fic to be better, like it being a non-crossover. Too late now. Anyway, questions will be answered in the PM or reviews.)**


	6. Indomitable

**Grimm souls: Paragons chapter 6**

 **(A/N. Another day, another one sentence of a chapter. The epic boss battles begin now, as well as our journey to the massive and endlessly hard to write Lordran. For all those who really want to help, even adding slight input to the story, just pm me your idea. I will read and see if it fits. Also, if someone knows, please tell me how to add line breaks, to separate the intro and the chapter, as I can't find it.**

 **The concept plot starts now, and it will be controversial, some will love it, while others won't understand. I hope the few people I have will stay and see the story out, while the newbies will stay out of interest. Let's kick this baby up a notch!**

 **In other news, we broke 10k+ words and 1k+ views. Yay. After one area. Oh no. This series (if it gets support) will end at either Kiln of the first flame or at the last lord soul. No clue which, dependant on support and time. But it is likely to be about 100k+ words, especially considering some of the big areas. This means 10k views? Not sure on the numbers. Let's hope for more and more!**

 **Also, I have been made aware that somehow keeps cutting off my sentences, but am not sure why. Requires explanation, but I can't give one. Any solutions, please tell me. [Redacted, found it]**

 **In reference to damage and scarring, it will go on a concept of overkill, as large amounts of damage will cause large amounts of scarring, especially if the damage is the kind that would really cause scarring, such as a high calibre bullet wound, as compared to the thin blade of myrtenaster causing no scarring or damage. No explanation, but bosses are more prone to scarring.**

 **The reason my upload was today and not Sunday is that I cut my thumb open and had to go to hospital. Couldn't really type, and spent the day in hospital anyway. Sorry**

 **Anyway, tell me what you think of my first try at a boss battle, the format of information, and what could be done better. All reviews appreciated and answered. Fight!)**

 **Boss concept: Grimmlands Dominant, Protector of Lordran.**

 **Lordran is a deadly land, and the demon that guards it mirrors its brutality. The gate to Lordran is protected in a lost asylum, used to house the hollows that come from the Valean Grimmlands. The world of remnant is changing, and the gates are becoming stronger and more common throughout remnant. Even after the fall of the Beacon of Remnant, the world continues to struggle, with the conflict of souls exerting even more dominance over both worlds. Perhaps this demon is the result of a soul beginning to grow strong through the endless souls that have entered its gates.**

 **Boss description/appearance; Bestiary record:**

 **A large, demon like creature, standing at almost 18 feet tall. Its torso shape is reminiscent of a large, and fat human, but much wider in size. The hide that covers the demon is green with age and moss, and smells slightly of decay. It also has many scars, ranging from small, healed bullet wounds, to large slashes and open cuts.** **The legs are smaller than you would expect on the creature of this size, but is made up for by the abnormally large wings and arms, which allow temporary flight. The demon's head is covered by two large horns, similar to a deer Faunus, but considerably larger and presumably tougher. They show signs of aging, and decay. The shoulders and legs, especially around the joints, are muscular to the point of twisting, and can cause heavy damage, both due to weight and strength. However, some plates are hidden from view beneath the muscle, especially at the kneecaps and the elbows.**

 **Weakness: Fire, explosives, lightning.**

 **Strength: Physical damage, crush damage.**

 **Resistances: Ice, Poison, Crush damage.**

 **Boss Room; Valean Grimmlands asylum Main hall, Captain's rampart. Valean Grimmlands, Remnant.**

 **Recommended Boss Battle music: This will be the day (full, original)**

 **(Start boss music)**

Ruby and Jaune looked down from the balcony, and saw a demon.

What other way could it be described? The leathery scales and almost stone-like bone structure protruding from the spine of the monster could only support their judgment. The cracked bony spines had the look of limitless age and decay, which was further enforced by the mossy coating that the scales had accumulated over the no doubt interminable years.

They now stood on a small plate, protruding from a large door, perhaps an overlook for some king or captain to rally his troops. Either way, the elevated ground was high enough to show dominance on the lower peons. However, in this case the head of the colossus reached to just below the balcony, looking straight up. The Black orbs that were present in all of the soldiers were tinted slightly red, with flecks garnishing the otherwise midnight eyes.

The room was still covered with the many pots and pillars that had decorated it earlier, which indicated that the demonic creature had been inactive, or perhaps just waiting. Jaune's intuition suggested the latter, while Ruby's the former.

"How do we get down?" Jaune asked, wondering how to survive the story high fall, above a massive demon, that could probably crush them with a single blow.

Thinking of crushing brought his thought to the weapon that Jaune knew had struck down Cardin, and possibly many other people who had somehow found themselves here, wherever they were in the Grimmlands, in some unexplored or unrecorded asylum. The Large club/mace that the demon held must have required outrageous strength, which it clearly possessed. The weapon, similarly to its eyes, were dotted with blood, some of which was dry and encrusted, and the rest he could only assume was Cardin's… New and shining against the grimy green and red of the mace. The enlarged spikes coming from the head of the mace were wide enough to ensure damage, as if the mace's weight itself couldn't kill.

Meanwhile, Ruby was more concerned with killing the monster, and ways to attack from above. Horns that they had not previously seen from below graced the top of the demon's head, which was devoid of the scratches that scarred the rest of the hide of the muscled demon.

'If I slashed down with Crescent rose, and Jaune's sword, we could chop off a limb, just like in ladybug!' Ruby's mind seemed to yell at her, encouraging her to use their training as an advantage. She quickly said this to Jaune, in the most descriptive way possible.

"Go for the arm" Ruby yelled, confusing Jaune more than helping, before leaping down onto the demon, and deploying crescent rose.

Jaune somewhat followed instruction, aiming for the other arm, with Crocea Mors aiming to slice the joint.

Ruby hit first, with her momentum increased by the pull of gravity. Whatever force had made the attacks pass through the previous enemies did not affect this one, perhaps its sheer size and mass had caused this, or perhaps the large amount of souls and lives it had consumed had influenced it. Crescent rose attached and swung around the shoulder of the behemoth, carving a large wound into the armpit and triceps, before Ruby jumped into the center of the battlefield, and payed attention to Jaune.

He had plunged onto the demon headfirst, using Crocea Mors to impale the demon, Hitting around the same area she had on the opposite arm, but staying there. He resolutely held to the sword, seeming to be steadfastly still, despite the monster bucking back and attempting to unseat him. He clung to Crocea Mors like life depended on it, which it probably did, but seemed to be losing his grip.

Luckily, Jaune managed to pull out the sword before the titan roared it head back at the wound, removing its rider and causing him to fall over the shoulder of the demon, falling flat next to Ruby. Slowly, he looked up.

"Ruby, do you think you could explain more next time?" Jaune said, but still not angry or hurt by Ruby's wild escapades.

"Sorry" She cutely rubbed her boot into the ground, as she did when she first met Weiss. This reminded Jaune of Ruby at Beacon, when they were all safe and mostly happy, and not attempting to dodge a giant demon wielding a mace. Wait, What?

Ruby jumped beside Jaune, and pushed him crudely out of the way, the great mace crashing beside them, and pulverizing the ground. Dust and mortar rose from the brickwork, covering Jaune and Ruby, and lightly dusting the Asylum Guardian's hide.

"Pay attention, Jaune. We need to win this" She said, barely heard over the echoing of the blow and the crumbling of the floors.

"Right, Try and get behind it." Jaune shouted, now sounding determined, remembering Cardin, and the countless others that had been slain by the demon.

Jaune and Ruby rose, with Jaune facing the demon head on, and Ruby using her semblance to rush behind it, staying behind the tail's sharp barbs.

Slowly circling the monster, Jaune came to a halt, staring it down, and waiting. Ultimately, this battle came down to waiting, as Ruby could slowly kill this thing with the ammo of crescent rose, and hide behind Jaune. Immediately after this thought, Jaune heard the ringing of the rounds of crescent rose, and the squelchy sound of a hide being punctured. The demon began to turn, quickly changing its intentions to Ruby, perhaps due to her being the weaker target, or more likely because of the latent anger. Jaune began to attack, hoping to surprise or just injure the demon.

Until a massive tail swing swiped him into a nearby pillar, demolishing it and the surrounding pots, releasing dust into the air, all over a now injured Jaune. He quickly rose, seeing Ruby fighting the Demon.

*click* 'Damn. Reload.' Ruby's head was in battle mode, focusing only on the hulk before her, and the full magazine in her back pouch. She reached for the latter, while dodging the gigantic mace landing slightly to her right. She automatically grabbed the clip, forcing it into the receiver, and cocking the sniper back.

After the reload, she quickly sped to the side to avoid a massive overhead smash, crumpling the ground beneath it, and now around it. She quickly retaliated, slicing at the demon and retreating, attempting to slowly chip away at the large enemy. The strength of this enemy was not to be underestimated, with the hide resisting Crescent rose's blade, even though it could cut the thick metal plates of a paladin. Clearly, this monster was stronger than the Grimm, and possibly the atlas military. Something supernatural was in this asylum, and clearly this monster was the final Guardian for whatever this place had to hold. This wasn't a Grimm….

As the implications of this revelation set in, Ruby turned to see Jaune, stumbling through the smashed vases and a destroyed pillar. He was fine, but his aura was beginning to wane, becoming weaker. He would survive, but she wanted to protect him. What better way than to kill this thing herself? 'Let's finish this!'

Typically, she couldn't. Jaune charged forward, attempting to slice through the tail of the Guardian, with his shield retracted, and holding his longsword in both hands. As he began his slash, the demon's tail began to turn, threatening to slam into him again, and possibly cause more damage. Ruby quickly intervened, rapidly slashing deeply into the hide of the monster, with crescent rose causing deeper grooves into the tough skin. She carved wildly, hoping she could land a killing blow before Jaune could reach the monster, thereby saving him.

It kinda worked. As Jaune reached the behemoth, he swung as hard as he could, removing the tail and killed the beast.

 **(End boss music)**

It slowly faded, dissolving into nothingness. It shimmered as it disappeared, leaving two small glows in the center of the room, where it had met its demise. The larger one was slightly floating, gradually edging towards Jaune, and pulsating as it flew. Jaune seemed entranced, and almost attracted to it.

"Uh, Jaune?" Ruby asked, the orb now in the reach of Jaune, and pulsating more wildly. "What is that?" She questioned, not knowing of anything like this happening.

Jaune carefully reached for the strange glow, not answering. He touched the ethereal presence, resulting in it fading into his body. He was shocked at first, but then accepted the new presence. It made him feel powerful, as if he had somehow grown, and gained strength. 'What is this?' Jaune thought, wondering how the strange orb that came to him made him stronger. Suddenly, he noted the other glow, the one that laid on the floor, reminiscent of the previous ones they had found, but slightly bigger. Ruby slowly walked over and examined the items.

 **Acquired; Asylum Gate key.**

 **The key to the gates of the Asylum, located in the Grimmlands. This undocumented gate is guarded by a horror of a different world, and only known to few. For good reason, as the guardian of this asylum brings Grimm and hollows between worlds, hoping to cause discord and chaos, tearing down the progress of Remnant. The Grimm and hollows are a force of nature in Lordran, with no opposition. Perhaps it is a foreshadowing of Remnant's future?**

 **Acquired; Dominant's Great mace**

 **An unbearably heavy weapon, made only for giants. Who could use this club-like mace to great effect? The humans of Remnant were never meant to hold this weapon, as it is obviously too large for anyone to dream of wielding. What force could forge this mace, and what material could undergo such force and pressure over time? Perhaps Lordran holds more answers... Or more questions.**

"Jaune, are you ready to leave?" Ruby asked, now facing down the closed door that was behind the now dead Dominant, now left unguarded. Surely only few knew of its existence, and even fewer dared to come here. Cardin. Why had he come? Had he left to find them, or to find whatever was hidden behind the Guardian? So many questions needed answers, yet they were alone in a hostile land, with no help to be found, with Grimm and soldiers attacking them, and some malevolent force attempting to kill them, and probably others. What could be influencing the land so much? Even in the Grimmlands things weren't this dangerous.

"Yes, we have got to get outta here, preferably sooner rather than later." Jaune offered, and Ruby didn't disagree. They approached the massive door, matching the entrance and balcony. It opened slowly, even with Jaune and Ruby's weight pushing into the doors. They opened onto a sunlit overhang, watching over the forest.

 **(Entered area; Valean asylum, Exit outcrop)**

It was beautiful and serene. Perfect. Neither of the pair could properly describe the view, looking upon a small runway, before a seemingly infinite forest. The Grimm here must have been docile in their territory, as the trees showed no signs of damage, and the skies were clear of nevermore and clouds.

Jaune and Ruby sauntered through the utopia, taking in the wonderful surroundings, and looking for further clues as to their exact location, and their way home.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jaune noted a large crow following him, and almost seeming to watch him. Jaune wasn't one for superstition, but it was unnerving, and he thought he was being observed. Ruby did not notice this, but turned to Jaune.

"What is it?"

"Nothing"

"You sure? We are in the Grimmlands."

"I thought we were being followed, but it was just a crow's nest, and a crow"

Ruby turned to see the aforementioned nest, filled with a crow and some eggs, on the right side of the small outcrop. She found it suspicious, but continued, not knowing why Jaune would think a crow would watch them, or even be able to find them in this strange place.

They soon came to the edge of the outcrop, and looked upon the forest. It truly was endless, going beyond their sight in a peaceful and tranquil manner, with no blemishes. Until they looked down.

The sun seemed to drop in the sky, with clouds blocking its light. The wind picked up, pulling Ruby's cloak, blowing in the breeze. It was as if the world itself had been saddened by the swirling vortex below them, appearing suddenly, and enforcing a sullen mood. The tornado that raged below them was still, unmoving and seemingly never-ending. It held a certain pull to Jaune, which attracted him. He didn't know why, but he felt as if it were his own destiny to walk into the abyssal pit and find himself at whatever gate could be on the other side. Even if he didn't really know why…

It twisted silently, causing no noise, but the utter blackness that made up the presumed portal sprayed out, covering the land below. Though it was still in movement, the substance that made up the whirlwind was animate, and seemed to have its own mind. Its own thoughts. Its own soul. Or maybe, souls. Ruby didn't know what to make of the portal, she didn't know what dangers it could hold or what it hid. But she knew Jaune and herself had to go, as it was the only exit. Almost as if someone had planned to make this happen. The asylum seemed unescapable to all but the hunters, as shown by Cardin and the soldiers. There was only one was out. Surely, something must explain the strange phenomenon. Something had to. The quiet caw of a crow could be heard in the background, with no prominent noise but the breeze.

"Jaune?"

"Yeah Ruby?"

"Do you know what that is?"

"No, Ruby. I think it is a portal, but I couldn't be sure. I recognize it, though. I don't know why."

"Wanna find out?" she chirped, not taking the seriousness seriously.

"Not really, but I don't think we have a choice. There wasn't any other exits, were there?" Jaune had also observed the lack of options, and couldn't think of another way to leave the asylum.

"Fine. Together?" Ruby asked happily, not wanting to be separated from Jaune, especially since they had no idea what could happen, if this could lead anywhere, and where it could lead.

Jaune offered his hand, seeming almost shy. "Sure, but I'm afraid of heights, don't blame me if I scream." Jaune chuckled, remembering the first day they met, and getting a nostalgic feeling.

Ruby took the hand, and joined Jaune, Leaping from the edge of the outcrop. The world around them dimmed as the sun was blocked out, and then they were consumed fully by the strange portal. Darkness surrounded them, but they still fell.

 **(Entered; Lordran, world of the Souls. Firelink shrine, main bonfire, tower top.)**

The first thing they heard was a strange ringing sound, almost as if announcing their arrival.

The pain and aches that the battle had made were now fully felt, due to the loss of the adrenaline, and the increased damage of the portal. But they still rose, not knowing where they were, or if they were safe.

When they rose, they saw a large, flaming bonfire, twice as tall as the previous ones, and burning so much stronger. They weren't home, but at least they were safe. For now.

Meanwhile:

Sky lark was casually sitting, sharpening his dual blades, and waiting. He knew Cardin would be through soon, and he knew Dove and Russel would be back soon, wherever they went.

Suddenly, the same noise that heralded their arrival sounded, and a mass of red, white and black landed in the same spot next to the bonfire. He heard rasping breaths and sighs.

'This is gonna be a long day.' Sky thought, looking at the newly arrived duo.

 **(A/N. Well? What do you think of the formatting and the description of my first boss? If you don't like it, review and PM, and if you do, still do that! Alright, I think I have solved the cut-off problem, as I was using a different page design and layout, meaning some bits where the page was larger were cut out. Sorry, won't happen again. FYI, People will die, and DS stuff will happen. Deal with it. The world will be George R.R. Martin-esque, no matter what you say, as the concept of death must exist. No plot armour!**

 **A whole new world, a horrible world that no one knows. Nah, but welcome to the big leagues. For anyone that hasn't played dark souls, it will take lots of inspiration and sourcing from that, but will be completely understandable and funny for you who haven't played, or don't remember the lore.**

 **Thanks for reading, leave your support (negative and positive) in the reviews. Plot plans to be PM'd to me, as I don't want spoilers!)**


	7. A beacon of hope

**Grimm souls 7**

 **(A/N. And were back! End of the holidays mean we are now back to monthly updates, but the updates will be much longer and better, considering I have more time.**

 **Some new peoples have come in pilgrimage of my wondrous fic. Marvellous. Let the Sunbros be born! How incandescent they are! (I'm just Saiyan) (No, it wasn't a spelling mistake) (Yes that was an hint for those of you who actually read these) (Yes there are too many bracket notes)**

 **More additions, some new mechanics will be added now, mainly because I need them to keep track, but I guess you filthy lower plebeians can use it as an indicator of how screwed the main characters are, despite the obvious plot armour.**

 **A prominent question has been asked, mainly by my friends. Can you unlock and lock aura? And in my fic, does it still means they are protected? My answer is that all things have aura, and it always shields them, but requires unlocking to use offensively. This will happen.**

 **Got DS3 on last Thursday, and have completed it today. Damn. Great game, even though I disparaged it earlier in some p.m. I admit it as brilliant, and a true DS1 sequel.**

 **Sorry this chapter took so long, College work and university applications are hard.**

 **Anyway, be sure to leave more reviews and so on, as to help. Also, may have a side project being worked on, if I can get permission from another author. Let's hope.)**

Firelink shrine, Lordran

"Wow." Was Jaune's first word upon entering the strange shrine. And Ruby's first thought.

A small bonfire sat in the center, larger in size than the previous ones. It seemed to be more stable than the others, with a coiled sword protruding proudly. It was a symbol of strength, standing against the flames unburnt. The grass around the fire exerted similar resilience, covering what looked slightly like an auditorium, with stairs circling the center.

It was a circular structure, gravitating around the bonfire. Behind what used to be windows covering the top of a tower was a set of stone steps, leading downwards. Presumably, the bottom of the tower was down there, but it was hard to tell from their position. Slightly outside the large bonfire was a pillar, collapsed and acting almost like a bench, with a strange and somewhat memorable figure with a Mohawk sitting passively on it. Next to this was an elaborate stone archway, leading into a small pool of water, with an archway out. The doorway beyond was out of sight, though.

Beside this was another archway, leading to an array of vases. The corners were covered by shadow, and only some of the area could be visible. A figure was hidden in the shadows, but was almost unrecognisable with the poor lighting. Away from the shrine, a long path and mound obstructed a large aqueduct, but also allowed access to the innards of the construct. Beyond this, a large forest covered the landscape, intruding the otherwise bland area, until another crumbling ruin impeded it.

But the true splendour came from the distinctiveness of the landscape. In Remnant, the land would be destroyed by the Grimm, humans and hunters. The only remaining forests were protected by the kingdoms borders, and were still full of Grimm. The emerald forest and forever fall were possibly the only safe forests left in the world, even though only hunters could really call it that, and it was only tiny. But to see such an endless one like this, that probably covered more of the world…

It was beautiful. Neither huntsman had ever seen anything like it. Even the ruins of mountain Glenn and the more recent asylum in the Grimmlands couldn't compare. The infrastructure was old, crumbling and ruinous, yet it still stood. There was simply nothing like it in Remnant, which made it unique. Or perhaps, they simply weren't in Remnant? The archaic masonry clearly showed it was old. Perhaps as old as vale. Or older. The technology that seemed ingrained in Valean society had dominated the land, and the citizens had become dependent on it. With no CCT, they simply scattered. However, the hunters were resourceful, and had used the ridiculous amounts of semblances to their advantage, creating a safe zone using the centre of town. All the surviving teams were withdrawn from beacon, and defended vale. Even team CRDL.

Speaking of which…

"Sky? Is that you?" Ruby noticed the boy from team CRDL, sitting strangely on a broken pillar, almost waiting in this area, as if he knew someone would appear.

"Where are us? a-and you? Jaune stuttered out, aware of his grammatical errors and his poor conversational etiquette. He was always awkward, but he couldn't speak due to the residual shock of jumping into an unknown portal in the middle of an asylum, which they had guessed was in the most feared area in their continent. And then being dropped into a strange land, with a friend and companion, presumably from their world.

"We're in Lordran. Have you heard of the ancient legends, that the dragons lived in trees, and that the lords of light could grow and light a flame big enough to burn the Grimm from the world?" Sky asked flatly, attempting to remember all the details of the legend.

"Yeah, what about it?" Jaune asked, while Ruby stood, confused and unaware. She remembered her uncle telling her of drakes and dragons, and his endless travels.

"Alright Jaune, explain it to Ruby." Sky more told than asked, trying to ensure they both knew of the land they had entered.

"Well, my family only told me some…" Jaune trailed off, scratching his head nervously. "The tale was that two warriors of light were born, one from a family of great warriors, and the other from the line of silver eyed warriors. They were destined to roam a long lost land, which was the birthplace of life. Aura was supposedly born that day, with millions of figures rising from the dust, and taking the souls from the first flame, which brought aura. However, with light, came disparity, and the ability for the dark to spawn. This meant that the flame was fading as soon as it had begun, and the light had to protect it. They say that the first autumn maiden, the lady of chaos, fought against a great lord, who inherited the soul of light. The battle raged, and the spirits of the flame had been made to fight against the light. But it won, and the champion of light founded our first continent, Vytal. Similarly, the silver soul fought the Grimm monarch, an unknown man who had started the monarchy. According to some legends, the Grimm king was slain, and a daughter took his place, a creature of pure lust, who wanted for the powers of both light and dark, and therefore bonded with both, creating a hybrid of Grimm consciousness, forever altering her body and soul. When they fought, they nearly extinguished the flame, forcing the lord of sunlight to sacrifice himself, killing himself and the Grimm queen, allowing the silver eyed maiden to live." Jaune rounded out his tale, aware that Ruby was hanging on every word, and sky was becoming disinterested, as though he had heard it all before.

"How does it end? Did she save the light knight and marry him and live happily? Or did she find out he didn't die? Oh-oh did she save him from the bad king, and save the day? I need to know!" Ruby enthusiastically yelled, begging for an ending to her fairy-tale.

"Ruby, it's a legend. He died, and she lived until she died. Its real life." Sky stated in a harsh voice, knowing ruby would follow a story, and emphasise the good guys.

Ruby's face visibly dropped, becoming solemn and remorseful. Clearly the illusion she had created kept her happiness, in an otherwise bleak world. It wasn't uncommon for hunters to die in the field, but after the battle of beacon, nothing was safe.

Sky had memorised this, in detail. How else could he remember the dead, dying and mutilated?

It was truly horrifying, with blood soaked injured in one large corner, taking up half of the square in central vale. The medics, doctors, loved ones, and parents looked over the injured, tending to the endless cries and moans for help, while the uninjured were busy being injured by the hordes of grimm drawn to the panic and suffering. Hundreds of people were led by a strange drunk man, Glynda Goodwitch, and the general of atlas. He knew this because they were single-handedly defending half of the entrance to the square, and reaping Grimm as if they were grass. He also saw a few of the people he knew, some of which were ok. Velvet, the faunas he had once bullied, was fighting with a glowing weird minigun, mowing down the sky Grimm her team were similarly mowing down larger land Grimm. Two of the girls from team RWBY, Blake and Yang, were in the wounded pile, bleeding heavily from a stomach wound and severed arm respectively. Weiss was nowhere to be seen. Jaune's team bar Pyrrha were also injured, but were helping the other injured instead of receiving treatment, while he killed a preposterous amount of Grimm, while some white fog obscured him for some reason. A strange monkey Faunus and his team were yelling profusely, mostly obscenities, and were killing some Grimm. Professor's port and Oobleck were also in the fray, with many Grimm kills due to their weapons combining to create a steady stream of death. A strange woman with raven black hair was also seen, but she dissipated into the shadows a second after he had looked.

Other prominent figures were there, but sky paid no attention, rushing to his team. Suddenly, Ozpin appeared beside them, and spoke to him, telling him of Lordran and the journey that the beacon students have been sent on. That was vague, though, and

"Sky, what was that for?" Jaune indignantly stated, disrupting his inner monologue, and annoyed at his snarky remark at Ruby.

"You're in Lordran now. Everything is going to get a lot tougher here, and it's not just the Grimm." Sky told them, confirming the location

"Does this have anything to do with the corpses we fought?" Ruby asked, innocent in voice, but asking a monstrous question

"They're called hollows, Ruby. A curse roams in this land, created by the father of the abyss and the Grimm queen. When your will is broken, and you have no purpose left in life, you will erode, with your aura fading, and be reborn as a hollow. They have no aura, but are strong because they are reincarnations of others. They come in all shapes and sizes. Don't trust anyone with black eyes." Sky finished, seeming ominously angry.

"Where do we go, though? Why are we here?" Jaune asked, hoping for some small amount of direction.

"There are two bells. One above, one below. I don't know where, but I'm sure you can figure it out. Although, someone from before came from down there, and I don't like the sound of it. One of the clerics of a church or some such thing is over in the room there, so best ask him about that Hahahahaha" Sky said depressingly, before laughing disturbingly.

Sky still sat, looking uncomfortable, and nervous.

"Aren't you coming with us? And where's your team?" Ruby asked, optimistically perked up after sky's remark.

"We split up, mainly to find another team. We were sure we wouldn't make it, so we looked for the rest of the teams. I am pretty sure Cardin got dragged of by a massive bird. So, I am waiting for him to come back." He stated determinedly, seeming intent on staying for Cardin. Perhaps his team were changing, despite their bullying. "What happened to your aura? I can't sense it." Sky questioned, now aware that the normally rosy aura of Ruby wasn't present, and Jaune's insurmountably pure white void was missing. "It's like it was locked" he stated, drawing the nearest comparison.

"We know, we were stuck in an asylum somewhere, and when we woke up it was locked. I still have my semblance, but I can't use my aura to fuel it properly." Ruby did worry for her condition, as she wouldn't be effective in combat. Sure, she was still good, and could use her aura to defend, but having a dulled down semblance and overall lower speed was something she didn't like. She imagined Jaune wouldn't suffer, as he only used his aura defensively anyway. "Can you unlock it for us?" She asked, hopeful to regain her powers.

"No, but the fire keeper can. Something to do with the fire being connected to the soul, and the keepers being aura specialists that were mutilated." Sky offered "They are all young women for some reason, and all of them are linked to the bonfires. That's all I know." The expression on sky's face became harder. "Not that she has much to say other than that. All she does is moan, I'm not even sure if she can talk. She seems repentant, but other than that and the umbrella, she isn't useful."

"What? I don't see anyone. Who is she?" Jaune once again just questioned, not finding his own answers.

"Go down those stairs, and she is trapped in a small cage. Good luck" He scoffed, pointed to the stairs, and returned to his spot on the collapsed pillar. "Oh, by the way, tell Russel to sharpen his halberd if he is really lost. Oum knows he wouldn't do it if we weren't around." Sky ended, sitting sprawled out.

"O.K. Bye. See you around" Ruby ended their long conversation. Slowly, they walked to the bonfire they had landed next to, which was already lit. They sat down, and began to talk amongst themselves, with sky idly sharpening the blades once again.

 **Aura restored.**

 **Aural flasks refilled.**

 **Bonfire kindled, aural flasks increased by +5**

 **Current flasks; 10 aural flasks +0**

"So… We are in a different world, with our friends from this world inexplicably here with us, our auras somehow locked, and we jumped through a strange portal to get here, where our souls are somehow linked to fires. Anything I missed?" Jaune summarised, hoping to remember all the events that led to their situation.

"There was also Cardin giving us a mystical artefact, fighting a massive demon, the bells we have to ring and the fire women that are near bonfires." Ruby finished, adding more ridiculousness to their already ridiculous situation.

"S-Should we go talk to her? It doesn't seem that sky trusts her."

"Well, there is only one way to find out if we can. Let's go Jaune" Ruby chirped, standing up quickly. Beginning to walk away from the bonfire they were previously sitting at, and down to the carved stone stairs.

Jaune followed, pondering the fire woman. Was it the one that he was told had killed Pyrrha? The one he saw kill the girl in the vault? Or was he simply paranoid? Leaving his thoughts by the wayside, he followed Ruby, hoping his suspicion was wrong.

It was.

Descending the steps, Ruby examined the concrete walls. It was almost exactly the same as Mountain Glenn, but crumbling due to age rather than decay and damage. Clearly, it was nothing like the structure of vale, or even beacon, except perhaps Ozpin's office. The walls looked as if they were carved, or even chiselled. As Ruby's mind wandered, she reached the bottom of the stairs, and saw a cage, containing a women in torn and ruined clothes, with small amounts of bloodstains covering what clothes did remain, thankfully covering her enough to prevent the male brain from straying too far, but leaving little to the imagination. That is, if the blood and gore surrounding the fire keeper didn't deter you.

A pink umbrella stood against the cage bars, but it seemed to be covered black in Grimm blood, presumably in the same incident that had led her here.

The girl inside was short, even hunched over she wasn't as tall as Ruby, and would hardly reach Jaune's chin. The clothes that did cover her were a combination of white, pink and brown, giving her the image of Neapolitan ice cream, despite the tears in her clothes ruining the somewhat silly comparison.

It was then that Ruby noticed the clothes and the face that matched in her memory. The girl she had fought with Torchwick twice before, on the roof and the motorway, both times resulting in major devastation. Ruby's hand edged slightly towards crescent rose.

"U-Uhhhh, hello?" Jaune opened, standing behind Ruby, but obviously not recognising the woman as Ruby had. As he had not yet met her, or faced her, he could have no way of recognising the woman. To him, he simply saw a young girl, not much older than themselves, and injured beyond most repair, except perhaps her aura.

"Jaune, watch out. She was Torchwick's henchman. We fought her before breach and at beacon." Ruby voiced, taking half a step back, and drew crescent rose, even knowing that she would only win because Jaune was here.

But then, something unexpected happened.

The Neapolitan girl violently shook her head, trying to gain the attention of the two hunters. She seemed to emit a small, low moan of grief, confirming the thing sky had insinuated. She couldn't talk. Or at least, not properly. The moaning got louder and quieter, before receding, as if she was trying to talk.

"Ruby, we can't just attack her. She is locked in a cage, injured and could be dying. Also, sky said she was linked to this fire. She's not going anywhere."

The girl nodded, although due to her poor communication, both were unsure of what she was nodding at.

"O.K. You're right. Are you O.K?" Ruby asked, trying to give a yes or no question, which the girl could answer

Once again, she nodded, despite the blood that coated her, and the inability to talk and walk.

Jaune asked another question. He seemed to do that a lot lately, and perhaps it was his strategic mind that needed the information. Or, he was just curious and afraid. Either or. "Can we help you?"

She vehemently shook her head, her face screwing up in spite, presumably due to the incapacitation and link that kept her here.

"Do you know where we are going, or where we are supposed to go?" Ruby asked, kindness creeping into her voice now that the paranoia and combat instinct had gone.

She simply pointed up morosely. Clearly, she had much bigger things to think about, besides the endless questions.

"Thank you. We will come back if you want. Or at least visit sometime. Would you like that?" Jaune's instinctual kindness clearly affected him. Though, he could hardly be blamed when met with a girl covered in Grimm and her own blood, crippled and morose.

She hesitate at this question, perhaps contemplating the reason that he had offered, or the offer itself, but this question was somewhat irrelevant. After her hesitancy, she nodded simply.

"O.k. We will see you later Uhhhh…. Whatever your name is." Ruby said, seeming slightly disappointed, leaving a helpless person injured.

"Should we go talk to whoever the cleric guy sky talked about is, or should we explore some more?" Jaune voiced, hoping to see who else was with them, but wanting to leave options to Ruby in conflict. 'She was the one who helped me be a good leader, so it's only right that she should choose' his mind rationalised, despite the evidence that his team had been stronger during their time at beacon, despite Jaune's poor combat scores. Having Pyrrha and Nora in their team defaulted them to the top of the table, edging team RWBY by a few points, despite Yang's score matching them. The only notably low scores were Blake and Jaune's, due to Blake's docile nature, and Jaune's lower quality. However, in the tactical combat scores, Jaune and Ren's score topped the charts, with Ruby and Weiss taking the final podium spot, and fourth respectively, while Yang and Nora brought up the bottom of those tables, quite predictably. In essence, the only thing separating the teams was Pyrrha's semblance and team JNPR's general toughness and durability. However, now…

"Let's go talk to the clerk guy" Ruby interjected.

"Cleric Ruby. A holy warrior. A clerk is someone in a store." Jaune sighed, his thoughts interrupted. Honestly, he wondered how Blake and Weiss managed to put up with Ruby, and it was probably not helped by Yang. He liked Ruby, even going so far as to say she was endearing. But he could only imagine the stupidity that had to happen as a by-product of Weiss and Yang. It might even match Nora's Halloween massacre. All those legs….. He shuddered. "Come on. Let's go see who it is."

They ambled slowly up the stairs, and through the archway, with nothing to add to their previous evaluation. A small set of steps separated the room from the others, and a line of vases adorned the back of the room, some cracked, others mossy, and even more simply lying in shards. But the main focus of the room was the giant man with a giant machete. He seemed to stand against the wall as if waiting, but for what was not obvious at first sight. The gigantic sword rested on his shoulder, which Ruby had to look up to see, despite wearing boots. Even Jaune's figure didn't compare to Yatsuhashi's shocking strength, with the size to match.

"Good to see you again. I see you survived Beacon after all." Yatsuhashi's deep voice rolled, welcoming his comrades. Perhaps his journey would not be as lonely as he had once believed. Pilgrimage always was considered the lone path…

 **(A/N. So, another chapter, another month of work for college, uni, refereeing and writing. Sorry if this chapter is a little late, but university application thoughts and college work is taxing, and being sport is only more exhausting. Also, I have spell checked this using Microsoft word and the fanfic site. If anything is wrong, it is their fault. Seriously. For those of you who stuck around, Yatsu will not be full traitor, and Neo will speak later, following the Lautrec questline.** **Other details will follow. For any questions, PM and review. For those who are new, welcome, and feel free to ask any questions you have. Until next time. The Aurora fades.)**


	8. New pieces

**Grimm souls; Chapter 8**

 **(A/N: Hello, new chapter. Yay. Also, I feel like I should say something important, but I got nothing. If I'm forgetting anything, well, balls.**

 **Finally, I can add aura, health, miracles, and other stuff in. Please take not of the key at the start of the chapter.**

 **Special thanks to TheJenkinsCurse, who gave me a shoutout and used my ideas in his fic. Look it up, it's called rose pedals. I love it, and I inspired it, but I didn't have to write it. Anyway, also thanks to Kinzarks, my trusty steed who has carried me through my fics. Good man, hope to see his fic soon, and if you like this, then you should read his. (Mine first though.) And finally, CoolhandJaune for his patience, as my phone cant login and send him messages. damn.**

 **Key:**

Normal text, description and stuff.

'thought and ideas'

"Speech and talking"

 **Item description, scroll descriptions, covenant details, Money + NPC things, Armor and Weapon things and aura notes/flasks/effects.** **(The characters cannot see this text, but are affected. They may notice effects anyway, but are not able to see text. For example, they may gain an aura flask, and know, but cannot read its backstory.)**

 **"** **Translated language and enemy dialogue. Can be heard by characters, but requires items for translation if necessary. For example, another language or something that can be translated due to an item/ring."**

'Now THAT is a sword' Jaune thought.

Yatsuhashi stood tall and imposing over the pair, both only reaching his shoulders, where his sword lay. He looked down upon his previous classmates, his eyes wide with surprise. The older boy spoke, happiness lining his voice.

"Jaune. Ruby. You have entered Lordran too. It seems that nearly all of the teams in beacon's stand have. It is good to see you alive."

Ruby and Jaune hesitated slightly, before fully reacting.

"Everyone is here? Who is alive? How are my team?" A barrage of questions left Ruby and Jaune, hoping for the upperclassman to reassure them of the situation.

Yatsu began to answer "I do not know. Everyone was sent here, by a strange portal. Miss Goodwitch told us we would be looking for a flame, and that the ones who attacked beacon came from here. Everyone except team CRDL was sent through, and they stayed behind. We were sent first, and told to go to the church, and then the catacombs. I was left to wait, while Fox looked for the catacombs, Velvet went to the church, and Coco went to find a way back. We just appeared here, and no-one knows how to get back. We don't know how team CRDL got here, but they said they found another portal in the Grimmlands, and got dropped here."

"Hey, that's how we got here." Ruby interjected, but more surprised that others were sent here, and came to this strange place.

"Do you know of a way out?" Yatsu asked, hopeful. The chances were low, but the possibility could—

"No, we just woke up there. Someone even locked our aura." Jaune said with a hint of indignation.

"I could unlock it for you. Do you remember your aura classes?" Yatsu asked, hoping their lessons would come in handy.

"No, only second-years took aura classes. We never got to" Ruby pouted.

"Well, if you want me to unlock your aura, mine must be used to unlock it. But, this means that you need to be attuned to my covenant. With my aura, you will become paragons of light and virtue, unbound by death. Most hunters are, and it is likely that you both were before. Do you want to? You will both be able to use your aura offensively, and project it."

"Yes, please do! We don't mind." Ruby squealed, wishing to get her aura and semblance's full effect back.

"I will, but I must warn you, aura is different here. Even that strange girl noticed. She cannot heal with her aura. She has also lost her tongue, and cannot reply. But more importantly, there are scrolls and teachings that can be learnt here that are fuelled by aura. While they are strong, some are dark. Some are light, but could be dangerous. Be careful. In the short time I have spent here, I have seen terrible things." Yatsu warned, clearly hesitant at unlocking his comrade's aura.

"It's ok, we can handle it. We didn't get into beacon for nothing!" Ruby shouted, while Jaune shrank back, depressed. "Anyway, we have been using aura for years." Jaune sunk lower, losing his dignity.

"If you are sure, I will." Yatsu began. "For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all, infinite in distance and unbound by death. I release your soul, and by my shoulder, protect thee." Yatsu finished the incantation, and a small light emanated.

 **Covenant gained; Way of white. Miracles of the old order are now able to be learnt.**

 **The way of white are a covenant that represent the hunters of the new world, and their aura was attuned naturally to this order when the incantation of the heroes is used. This order was led for centuries by a man rumoured to be a wizard, who could pass through time itself, and never aged. Now, he is the only living descendant of the original church. Who knows what knowledge has been lost from the centuries of members, and the shared worlds of Lordran and Remnant?**

 **Aura unlocked. Aura is now able to be used to fuel pyromancy, miracles, hexes and sorcery. Aura can now be used to actively boost physical activity. Aura can now be projected to protect from damage. Aura can now be used to resist elements, effects and other internal harm. Semblances are now able to be used. Semblances unlocked.**

"There, you have your aura. Watch out, as it can now be used for the teachings of this world. I even have a few, if you are willing. But, you will have to give me some lien in return. They were hard to procure." He added, as they flexed their lost power.

"Thanks Yatsu, will you be here when we come back?" Jaune asked, hoping to see him again.

"Yes. I must wait for my team to return. I await your return eagerly, too. Stay safe." The large member of team CFVY waved, seeing his friends walk into a land where death was near certain, with every obstacle standing to spite those who would try to traverse this land, while aura was held within them.

Jaune led Ruby to a set of stairs, seeing some hollows on an aqueduct, but stopping before reaching the top.

"So, we should talk about Cardin. What do we tell sky?" Jaune asked, Anxious, not wanting to discourage sky, but not wanting to lie. Maybe Cardin was even still alive.

"We should tell him, but there is no way to get to Cardin. Let's tell him." Ruby pleaded, and Jaune melted under her gaze

'As if I could resist that look' Jaune thought, sighing with neither relief nor contempt.

Slowly, they began to walk down the stairs, past a strange well, and to Sky, who was sat, unmoving in his spot, thinking on his situation.

"Hey Sky, we need to talk." Jaune said, rubbing his elbow, and staring intently at his feet.

"Do you need more direction, because I told you, until my team gets here, I don't know where anyone is, or where we anything is." Sky said, while seeming slightly disturbed.

"Sky, we know where Cardin is. We saw him on our way here. He's in the asylum we came here in. Yatsu told us you might have come here from there as well. Do you know a way back?" Ruby said, hope in her eyes, shining as they looked upon Sky, whose eyes lit up. However, the sheen left his eyes quickly, as he dejectedly sighed.

"I know where it is, that is how we got here, but there is no way back. Otherwise I might have gone to get Cardin back. I keep thinking how, but the only way I can think of is by using another portal. I am going to wait until Russell and Dove get back, then we can find a way back." Sky said, his resolve showing, and his face raising.

Until Jaune dropped an emotional bomb onto Sky's mental fortitude.

"But he is really injured, and we aren't sure if he can make it. He might need help." Jaune nervously stated, but he seemed to shout, and the echo only made it worse.

"Alright. I'm going. If you see my team, tell them where Cardin is, and that I am going to find a way home." He spoke with steel behind his voice, rising. The dual blades he had sharpened entered his sheathes, and he cracked his fists. Slowly, he walked towards the stairs behind them, not sparing a glance for the messengers that brought him the news. He simply walked past them. Ruby stood there, shivering at the white hot rage that seemed to radiate from the boy. Jaune stood there, saddened by the half-truths he told Sky, and remorseful that Sky was going to his possible death.

Both turned, eager to yell and stop Sky.

"Sky!" Ruby yelled

"Wait!" Jaune articulated, slightly overlapping Ruby's higher voice.

He turned, reaching the stairs as he faced the duo, his face stony. "Don't worry. We may not be as good as you, but we are hunters. We didn't go to beacon for nothing. We'll be fine. Just look after my team if you meet them." Sky almost spoke as if it was his eulogy, and walked down the stairs.

Jaune turned to Ruby, and Ruby to Jaune.

Ruby spoke first, fear scarring her face for the first time since Beacon's demise. "What do we do? He could get hurt. We gotta stop him."

Jaune replied quickly, but with great thought lining every word. "Do we? What if he finds a way back? We already lied to him once. We should have told him. He can decide." Jaune deliberated, frowning and remorseful, hoping he could make the right choice. His time leading his team had given him skills he never thought he had.

Ruby agreed with Jaune deep down, but didn't want to commit to leaving another member of CRDL to perish. Her silver eyes began to shimmer with tears, welling up under her eyes.

"Sky!" Ruby screamed, crying. "Promise us you'll meet us here. When we find a way out, we'll come to get you before we leave." Ruby swore, meaning her promise.

"Ruby, I told you" Sky's voice rumbled, annoyed, then changed tone, to a lighter and happier voice, reminding both heroes of a time at beacon, during the dance. "I'm going to find a way out. You make sure my team gets here if you see them." He smiled, morose but happy. Eager to find a way to save his likely dead partner in crime.

"I promise" Ruby's shaky voice came, showing her care, even if it was for the once-bully of another friend. The tears in her eyes dissipated, and she smiled brightly once more.

"See you around then Ruby. Bye Jaune!" Sky raised his voice for Jaune to hear. "And if we don't meet before you leave I hope to see you later" Sky's words came across the sacred shrine, the fire keeper hearing, but being unable to warn Sky. She gave a brief moan, before closing her eyes, and letting him leave.

'I caused this. Roman and me. We could have stopped it. Why Roman? We could have helped them. They were young, and we were finally free of her. I even came back to save you. It was our chance…' The thoughts of the fire keeper came, woeful and torturous in her mind, contemplating her old comrade. 'Or was I always a blind woman, who was trapped to the will of another?'

Meanwhile, Jaune and Ruby decided to say goodbye, walking to Yatsu, and saying farewells.

"Good luck. Do you plan to head to the church?" Yatsu inquired. "If so, please try to bring velvet back to me. She is fragile, despite her strength."

"O.k. I think we will go there. We hope to see you and the teams down here. Good luck" Jaune stated, his voice tinted with longing to get back from their voyage, despite it not having begun.

And so, two paragons of the faith of white left the shrine, a beacon of hope to the dying worlds. The world tremored, unbeknownst to all but the few with great power, who moved the pieces on the chessboards of Remnant and Lordran. The power echoed, as an old semblance awakened. The hereditary semblance, descended from the god of war.

 **"** **My mistress, I have found him. He resides in Lordran, waiting. I believe he knows, as he is in the abyss. He cannot be reached." A grunt approached, bowing before its queen.**

 **"** **No matter, his time will come, and Cinder played her part well. The barriers were placed before Ozpin could send a maiden to my world, and she plundered their powers. The only nuisance is the Raven of sin, and her brother. They must be dealt with." The Grimm queen spoke, her voice sharper than any sword devised by man.**

 **"** **Yes madam. Raven is untraceable due to her powers, but the Crow has been sighted. A flock of Crows flew above the last shrine recently, and a lone bird was seen flying to one of our portals. We will track him, but we cannot approach. He is deadly, and hunts for the unknown. However, we do have more news…" the grunt lead on, eliciting a response.**

 **"** **Speak up" The mistress said, but the eyes screamed another message.**

 **"** **Well… The accomplice of Roman has left and is in our world, as a fire keeper. What should we do?"**

 **"** **Leave her. She can suffer in silence now, she was lucky to make an escape from our hordes." She ordered, dooming the illusionist.**

 **"** **And finally, there was sightings of an Arc in Beacon. He is weak, and failed to save them, but what if hi-"**

 **"** **Enough" The Grimm lost her temper, articulating her rage. "The Arcs will suffer for my father's death, and then we will be strong again. Follow him with your best scout, and report when he does anything!" She stormed, leaving the servant.**

 **"** **Yes my queen, it shall be done…." The gravelord servant murmured, before dissipating to the wind.**

 **(A/N. Well, another chapter, another 2 gruelling weeks of college work. Uni applications are beginning, reading fanfic is getting harder. Damn. Still good to read some fanfic though, right before bed. [Not that type. You thought it, didn't you?].**

 **In terms of story, we are now getting into it, and Jaune and Ruby will toughen up. The verdict is that those who are perfect aren't going to live. Deal with it. If you don't like that they are growing up, this isn't your fic, as many characters will follow this kind of story arc. Primarily, this story will follow the legend of DS1, with DLC and DS2+3 mixed in. NPC's will follow different but similar arcs, and there will be death, hollowing and dark themes. No escaping them. For example, not telling Sky about Cardin to preserve him, even if it was subconscious.**

 **+1 point for anyone who finds the song reference here. May do this in other chapters, cause it fits and is fun.**

 **If there is spelling mistakes, there always will be now. I used 3 ways to check. M. word, fanfic site, and my college's essay checker. If they are all wrong, screw me.**

 **Anyway, RWBY Chibi and RVB 14 came out this week, and it was hilarious. Glorious work from RT once again.**

 **Leave comments and reviews, good to see you all again. And while you're at it, read my short stories collection, which is being built up. Leave ideas there for any stories you want to see. G'bye.)**


	9. Discrimination

**Grimm souls: Paragons chapter 9**

 **(A/N: Welcome back all, sorry for the long wait, but Exams, assignments and tennis wanted to be in my way. This is a controversial chapter, and will contain the first T rated stuff here. If you don't like this chapter, it is O.K. if you don't want to read. There will be much more of this content, and don't be afraid of me murdering you in your sleep because you leave a negative comment. Hehehehehe. Anyway:**

 **Special shoutouts: Alex Healy, Kinzarks, TJ Reardon**

 **Also, in this chapter I try something new, tell me what you think, it's a POV from Jaune. Give me a review or a PM on what you think. Sorry if it seems impromptu, but this is my first successful story, and my first experience at POV writing.**

 **Also, I don't own RWBY, or else it wouldn't exist. Don't sue me, sue god for taking Monty. God da… hm.)**

 **Semblance unlocked: Ancient edict, Patronage of light. Unique, Hereditary semblance of the Arc.**

 **"** **We once stood upon the hallowed ground of light, a place where fire gave life to those who were chosen. Now the darkness creeps back to the place of its demise, and the eternal struggle continues. The question is, who is the chosen when there is no-one left to choose? Only those lords, who left the thrones of light, to live amongst those who harbour dark. When the purity returns, and the heirs of fire return, this edict will leave the world, until the darkness rekindles from the shadows. May it be a long burning fire, for the flame is the last stronghold of summer…**

 **Effect: Upon the defeat of an enemy, claim the soul of the fallen, and transpose the strength of that soul into the vessel that claims them. Souls can be collected from those who have grown to exorbitant strength, and those who have claimed the souls of others. Souls are an exhibition of those gone, and their essence can be used to create great things reminiscent of their power with the help of one well versed in aura, the manifestation of the soul. However, some find themselves consumed by the bane of the souls, and lose their holy soul beneath the taint of sin. The only way to cleanse this curse is the kindling of the aural flame, burning away the sins of those who are enraptured by its cycle.**

 **Upon death, be reborn from flames, and lose souls. Souls can be reclaimed from the one who slayed the lord, and gained his power.**

 **Semblance unlocked: Stem of Atheon, God of time. Unique, Hereditary semblance of the Rose**

 **"** **It is said that the silver eyed people lived before the world had colour, when there was no disparity, and Dragons were untainted by the dark. After the conquest of the Arthur, the first Arc, all the dragons are gone, but not forgotten by those who fought by his side. They say that the silver eyes are able to cause time dilation without dust, and are able to inflict the wrath of the most deadly force in the universe. Time. But what do 'They' know?"**

 **Effect: Allows time manipulation, altering the perspective of time for the user. Lasts as long as 10 seconds, and is interrupted by contact or use of aura. Can be used to unleash the fury of time against a target, by holding an entity, while using this effect. The target will be aged similarly to the flame, and turned to a statue without the disparity of life, or the luxury of survival.**

"R-Ruby, I feel kinda funny." Jaune's face turned a shade of green that could only mean he would be stripped of his lunch.

"Do you need to go back for a while?" Ruby asked, concerned for her friend.

"No, I think I will be fine. I just got really hungry, but I don't want to eat. I'll be fine" Jaune assured, with a cheesy grin on his face.

"O.K., if you say so. Just tell me if you need to go back." Ruby stated, seeming worried at Jaune's poor health, and possible illness.

And with that, the two forged on, leaving the shrine of fire, venturing into an unexplored land, where only few have tread. Little did they know, this was not Terranova for either of their families.

Ascending a small staircase, they were met with the sight few would expect.

People.

Or more accurately, corpses, lining the cliffs and platforms leading into an aqueduct. The black eyes of the undead pierced the worries Ruby had for Jaune, as she focused solely on the new enemies emerging. Reaching the top of the steps, they were confronted with two more, on the same level as they were.

The first was armed with a small round shield, made with wood and wire mesh, as well as a common longsword, which looked maintained, and seemed not to have a transformation, or at least not visibly. Maintenance was apparently not a concern for the dead, and it was also evident that the second soldier was the same, even if slightly different.

The second soldier wore armor, a combination of simple leather and padding, with her face showing from beneath a metal helmet, resembling a bucket. Her weapon was not evident, but Ruby and Jaune's superiorly trained eyes saw the sheathed weapon.

A bladed longbow, made in an all too familiar pattern.

Both Jaune and Ruby had seen this weapon before, but neither knew of the other's encounter, or the death they had seen. However, they both knew who's weapon that was a copy of, and who she was emulating. While they were unsure of the ability of this grunt, her equipment would indicate a mid-level grunt. Despite this, death was likely due to the overseeing 'hollows' that looked down upon the pair, ready to immolate the combatants with some kind of primal dust bomb. There was only one option.

"Ruby, do you think you can hit those guys up there?" Jaune asked, a plan forming in his head.

"Sure, got it" Ruby replied, slamming the bladed edge of her scythe into the floor, and readying her scope, targeting the nearest first, and aiming between the eyes. A normal creature with aura would have been able to live through one shot of her rifle, but this creature's aura had decayed over the countless millennia that it had stood, and the impact blew it from its feet, a soft thud of the body hitting the floor resounded.

Three more combatants remained visible through her scope, with one out of range of Ruby's rifle. The two below the edge heard the resonating of the sniper, and began to trundle towards the pair, facing them. Ruby's weapon was still embedded in the floor, leaving Jaune to turn and combat the two warriors alone, while Ruby continued to remove the ones above.

 **POV: Jaune Arc**

A second shot rang out from beside him, as the two warriors drew nearer.

I have to do this, or Ruby will die, but I don't want to kill anyone. What if they can be saved and I am killing their chance? I have to protect Ruby, and them.

I saw the bow detach first, sliding into dual scimitars. Wish I had known that earlier. The overhead slice came down, and he deflected the blow of in a semi parry, before strafing to meet the second, underequipped soldier.

I feinted a lunge, before quickly turning the motion into an upward slice, catching the chin of the black-eyed grunt. It staggered, and I followed its movement with a final slash, crossing its ribcage and forcing it to fall.

The third shot rang out, accompanied by the smashing of some kind of bomb I didn't have time to focus on.

Suddenly, I turned and saw the slashing of the female's sword. Raising my shield to block, I staggered back, losing my breath slightly, my arm going numb. The second sword followed, aiming for my decapitation.

I suppose strange situations warrant strange things. My mind registered the cold ground on my back, and the strain put on my body. I rolled under the strike, aware of the strange action, and brought my sword up, ready to retaliate. Quickly, I swiped at the girl, when something strange happened.

An aura. She had one. Weak and dishevelled, barely controlled, and almost at breaking point, but it was there. It couldn't deflect my strike, but it dulled the blow enough to allow her to survive and return the blow.

While the slash grazed my shoulder beneath the pauldron and plating, the final shot from Ruby echoed, mentally hoping she could assist me. The slash caused slight pain, but nothing my aura can't fix.

Stumbling back, I looked over my opponent once more, and saw her in full.

A malicious smile lining her decayed face, which was crumbling from the years she must have spent. The face was green and black, looking slightly like a bug nest. This ended at the neck, where the armor began, and her flesh was concealed. He could only assume it continued as a decayed mess. Her armor was in a state of disrepair, but not to the extent he had expected. It was a simple suit of armor, covering her full body. The chest plate was a common soldier's plate, lined with some kind of metal, protecting her body. It did nothing to accentuate her body, but would definitely any non- aura attack. Practicality over beauty, I suppose. Further down, her trousers were standard for Remnant's troopers, begging the question, where was she from? Her boots followed the same pattern, suggesting she used to be a guard from Remnant, and took her weapon from the woman who attacked her homeland, by means of inspiration. The weapon that was currently in the process of embedding an arrow into his chest and out his spine.

Oh. Oh Sh-

 **POV: Third person**

A squelching sound was the only thing to accompany the fall of the strange soldier, as Ruby's scythe penetrated the neck of the victim, and decapitated the hollow about to slaughter Jaune. It was a strange feeling, ending a life. For Ruby, it was a choice. She couldn't allow Jaune to die. Therefore, this creature had to die.

It was not a good feeling that came with ending a life, and she had thought at the battle of beacon that she never truly wanted to kill anyone, even with the lethality of her weapon. After the death of Penny and Pyrrha, life meant so much more to Ruby. The sounds of Penny's chirpy optimism, and Pyrrha's reputation as invincible would no longer be heard. Just like the voice of this woman, or Cardin's sneers if he truly did perish. But she always maintained that all lives were valuable, and it was preferable to allow one to die for two to survive. And while this may seem horrible, was it not what all people did. If your enemies aren't demonised, what does that make you?

Her moral quarrel ended with Jaune voicing his thanks, slightly panting, but thankful. She barely heard him, but decided to continue, before she had to think on this. The nightmares would plague her, but if she could handle her mother's death at the hands of some monster, she could handle anything.

"Let's go Jaune. We aren't safe yet." She stated, surprised that Jaune wasn't as shocked as her after killing another person. Or at least what used to be. He surprisingly appeared unperturbed Ruby's mental state showing through her face, and her mood.

But the real reason was much too similar. His mental state followed Ruby's decline, demonising the enemies that would kill Ruby and Jaune.

Slowly, the pair climbed a second set of stairs, ascending onto the cliff, which was now lined with the twice damned corpses. It was flat, but on the far side, a third set of stairs raised into the aqueduct, and presumably behind that wall, which they assumed was a city. But before that…

"Hey, it's another one of those glowing things" Ruby chirped, her expression turning from her depression to curiosity, wondering what it meant.

The glowing emanated from a corpse that was surrounded by a scorch mark, that both of the heroes thought was dropped upon Ruby's shot, which was currently smeared across the wall, along with the mind of the mindless hollow. Apparently, they shared the anatomy of humans. Who knew?

Ruby was the most curious of the pair, and strolled over to the corpse that glowed slightly blue. She leaned in, looking closely. The closer she got, the smaller the glow became, until finally her eyes settled upon a pouch, that seemed to generate the glow, and slowly dimmed down as she reached for it. Jaune took this time to walk beside her, and focus his attention. Slowly, Ruby brought up the pouch, and opened it, to see a collection of what she assumed to be the bombs this hollow was throwing.

"Shall we try it out?" Ruby asked, wanting to see explosions. Quickly, she took one of the bombs, and threw it at a wall. It completely immolated the wall, with some scorch marks decorating the wall, and some of the jars remains left on the floor.

"So cool" A wide eyed Ruby remarked, while Jaune looked strangely at Ruby, who seemed to be clung to his shoulder, grasping tightly.

"Ruby, let's go, we need to find Velvet for Yatsu, and a way home." Jaune said, heading towards the stairs, where one corpse lay near the top.

"What about those bells and our teams. We don't know where anyone is after the incident in Beacon. We gotta get back there." Ruby panicked, momentarily trying to remember all the information from Vale.

"Ruby, I need to tell you about this later. But first, let's get to a safe place, like one of those bonfires. Then we can talk. But the bells are supposed to be a way to open a portal of some kind. My dad told me about that in one of his stories." Jaune reminisced.

"O.k. Let's go." Ruby stated evenly, concerned at what Jaune had to say.

With that, they escalated the stairs and came to the edge of the aqueduct, seeing a door leading into the aqueduct. They slowly entered, no words being said, but intentions being obvious.

They entered a long corridor, following it towards a light at the end of the corridor. Quickly, Ruby turned, and saw a gigantic rat scurrying towards them, ready to take a bite out of Jaune. Quickly, she swung crescent rose, entrenching it inside the chest of the rat. The light faded from its eyes immediately, but she swore they were black while they resided. Jaune turned in time to see the blood splash over both of them, smelling slightly of plague and poison.

"Where did that come from?" Jaune asked, shocked.

"Behind us, we need to be more careful. Everything here is dangerous. Even with aura. Imagine how much people would struggle without an aura. It's like an extra health bar in a video game." Ruby said, pouting as she remembered her time playing games against Qrow and Yang. Yang was the worst at her favourite game; Fallin 4. Everything can be turned into a gun. Yang preferred the fatal combat series, and played it at every chance. Qrow just always loved to watch a VTV show called Game of crowns. He never let anyone else watch it, though. He always said "ask your father". Yang tried it once. She remembered the sounds of Qrow's scythe and her father's flamethrower gauntlets clashing. She and Yang slept in the same room that night. When they left to signal the next day, she saw Qrow drinking some special alcohol, and Taiyang passed out in the garden, covered in bruises and cuts, as well as a large gash under his torn shirt. They swore never to talk of it again.

Jaune however, remembered playing his sisters favourite games on their consoles, while he would attend a common agriculture school in outer vale. They loved a game called call of warfare; infinite duty. He was sure they were the only ones. Everyone else at his school laughed when he said it. He enjoyed watching some animes with his favourite sister Gwen, but she only liked Gunthem ding, while he liked Heavensing. They had fun together though.

Their musings were interrupted, as they exited the darkened corridor, and stepped out onto the edge of a tower, on the outer edges of a settlement.

If you could call it that.

They were slums. Neither of the hunters needed to look over the sides to know. The smells assaulted their noses, and sounds of whistling and metals bending could be heard. This wasn't the worst of it, though.

As they came to the top of the stairs, the looks of displeasure on their faces turned to horror, as they saw more hollows, with their final looks etched forever on their faces.

Faunus that had been subjugated. A Faunus slum. Two Faunus in similar attire to the previous soldiers stood before them, but with only broken weapons. A common shortsword, looking as if it had been stolen when broken from a corpse. And a shovel, with rotted wood and a rusting head.

The black in their eyes was unnecessary, as they immediately moved towards the pair, raising their weapons.

Two slices were heard. Two bodies lined the floor. The simplicity and effortlessness was almost scary. Jaune and Ruby turned from their respective enemies, and looked over the area in more detail.

 **Faunus Slums: Upper area.**

 **The Faunus cannot escape subjugation, despite the gap in worlds. In the upper ramparts of the Faunus villages in Lordran, the faunus are forced to work as slaves for the humans that reside in the center of Lordran, and in the outer city of Lothric. In the upper ramparts, the young and the old are kept, performing simple manual labour tasks such as construction and city maintenance. However, in the lower ramparts, the fauna used for mining and underground maintenance are used, living in horrible conditions, and working in deadly conditions. No wonder they followed the Faunus of remnant, forming an equally cruel ethical group. The Black fang.**

 **Area music: Boulevard of broken dreams, green day, no lyrics.**

They were shocked by the similarity more than the horror. Neither of them had ever seen conditions this bad for the Faunus, but both knew of the discrimination. However, seeing this racism continue into another world caused more shock than pain, and that was the worst feeling for the pair, who considered themselves good. They turned slowly away from the fires and filth in the outer area of the city, and looked further down their path.

Nearing a corner, they heard the tell-tale breathing of another person. Living or dead, they would have to meet in open combat, and decided to do so.

Rounding the corner, it became evident another hollow had been made here. What they couldn't have predicted was the firebomb currently heading for them.

In a surprising display of agility, Jaune jumped in front of Ruby, blocking the fiery grenade in its path. Its contents spewed from the jar down the shield, scorching the front, but leaving no marks. His arm burned, along with the rest of his body feeling immense heat. Ruby felt some heat, but continued to attack behind Jaune's shield, firing another round, demolishing the armor and ribs of the hollow. A satisfying thud was heard.

"Hey, Ruby? What is that?" Jaune said pointing at a strange wall, but ignoring another open doorway, which seemed to lead to an empty room. The wall door writhed against its frame. Its contents looked like milk, but even the slightest movement from the eye moved the magnificent wall. The swirling vortex reminded them both of the portal they had entered in the Grimmlands.

"Maybe it's a way home!" Ruby screeched, rushing to the door, ready to be reunited with the rest of her friends.

As soon as she touched the barrier, it faded into nothingness, and the interior of a house appeared.

It was a horrible place, filled with termites, flies and every other bug imaginable. Sleeping bags made of torn fabric and fibre lined the floor, with only an arm's length between each one. Around ten laid on the floor, with even more on the stairs and the upper landing. Overall, around thirty people must live here, in a space made for a family, maybe of only three people. The conditions were despicable, and were comparable to slavery. The smell reached both of them, assaulting their noses. Even from the door, the power of the smells of sweat, blood and infection was overwhelming. They decided to leave with haste.

Covering her nose, Ruby led "Jaune, up the stairs" she yelled, seeing a light shining through a crumbling doorway, vomiting inside her own mouth in disgust. The sounds of her boots and Jaune's trainers could be heard echoing from the stairs, and up outside the door, where they released their noses, panting with watering eyes. Slowly, they began to regain their senses, seeing where they were.

This must have been where the Faunus previously worked, with some areas of construction, barricades and simple structures made. The lack of good workmanship and material showed, with age further exaggerating the crummy defensive perimeters primitively set in place. Few soldiers were well armed, and those that were still had a dying aura and crumbling armor, invalidating their weaponry.

Shakily, Jaune began to walk forward, across a narrow section of the bridge in front of them. He slowly spoke, unaware of the danger he was approaching.

"Ruby, we should move. If they come onto the bridge, we wi-"

And with that, a large creature most would identify as a dragon landed on the bridge.

Or more specifically, on Jaune, crushing him beneath its talons, slight spatters of blood flying over the floors and at Ruby's feet.

When the drake rose, only a small bloodstain remained of Jaune, glowing slightly green.

And with that, Ruby's tears began again, mourning her fallen comrade, crying over his remnants, uncaring of the world around her.

 **Meanwhile, in Firelink shrine**

Jaune arc arose once more, feeling slightly weaker than before, and much more disoriented.

 **(A/N: And done. Thanks for bearing with me while I had an extra week to write this, I hope that the double length chapter makes you feel better. Exams.**

 **Special thanks to Alex Healy, who also writes fanfic. Go check him out. I don't have his link on fanfiction.**

 **First death! Don't worry, plot will be explained. For those that played dark souls, you understand. For those that didn't, stay and read, you will get the premise.**

 **Anyway, questions in the reviews, and PMs for anything else. Leave a favourite if this tickles your fancy. Small explanation because I'm tired and going to bed. Gnight.**

 **Death count: Jaune arc: 1)**


	10. The last Rose of summer

**Grimm souls: Paragons chapter 10**

 **(A/N; Hello and welcome back. Good to be writing again, since it is the half term. Love half term because instead of 10 page essays, I write 10 page stories.**

 **Dedicated to CoolHandJaune for his lovely support.**

 **Anyway, first death. New area. Casual Jaune. Panicking Ruby. Many things happening. New characters, areas and more. I even got to quote Shakespeare. Go me!**

 **I don't want to explain too much, the fic will do so. Therefore, have fun reading.)**

 **Jaune Arc POV**

Death was strange.

I immediately felt sharp pain, and unyielding rage. I don't know why, but in those few moments when I died, I felt those feelings building.

Until they stopped.

Suddenly, I occupied a place between life and death. I knew this because of the blandness. Everything was painted grey, in a world of strange curves and perception shattering ideas. My already befuddled mind stopped for a second as I hit the floor, dust rising around me.

Looking up, I saw strange things. A woman, looking imposing over me, while still standing in the middle of a colosseum of dead Grimm and strange architecture. The walls were carved of a wood that Jaune didn't recognise, that looked as if it drained colour from the world, and had stood for a millennia. The tree was ornate, with slight burns adorning it and small holes where something must have rested. Looking further around, he saw the endless sea of Grimm plates adorning the floor, decaying over time as Grimm always did. The plate always remained longer, though the reason was unknown. Science had yet to explain the Grimm, and they seemed linked to aura. No-one could confirm it, but atlas had made strides.

I returned my attention to the woman, looking over her from the floor. I quickly rose as I examined her.

She was beautiful, even covered in the blood of the Grimm around her. The white cloak she wore was covered with the spots of black and red blood, from the most recent Grimm kills. The spots had yet to dry, shimmering as his eyes passed over them.

Her boots mimicked Ruby's, high laced and tight, but with a major difference.

Her entire outfit had a differentiation in Ruby's. Where there used to be black, instead there was grey. An absence of light or dark, covering her attire. Every accented detail was red and white, from her red laced boots to her white cloak. But her "Combat skirt" was grey. The laces on her breastplate were white, barely alternating from the bland colour. Even the frills on her skirt were only a dull red, the colour being almost drained by the contrast. Even her sleeves bore the dull colour, with red frills covering the edges. However, small black shoulder pads covered her from her collar to the elbow, protecting the triceps. I couldn't see her weapon, but assumed it must be a close combat weapon, to require such protection. A small cross pin held her cloak, in the exact place Ruby's held. The cross was silver and black, but shone as if made of platinum. The black light interested me, while the silver mesmerised me. I was in awe of this woman, and her power over me was almost tangible. When I looked at her face, I could only assumed she was an angel.

Her features were an exact match for Ruby, except for the slight look of wisdom and weariness in her eyes, and the grave expression on her face. She looked pained but ready, as if preparing for battle. Her lips parted, and the words that came out were in a slightly lower tenor than I expected, but I was more shocked from the words that escaped the angelic woman.

"Another one already. How short a summer it has been." The voice said monotonously, as if bored. But under that, I understood a meaning, and a small tone of worry from the woman who so quickly turned my death into a curiosity.

"Am- Am I dead?" I asked, trying to remain calm, but my voice betraying my panic.

"Yes. You are in the place between life and death. A purgatory for the paragons. It is so fitting that an Arc returns before my Daughter." She said with a grin, reminding me of Ruby's happy smile. "Well, I suppose greeting is in order. Welcome to Ariamis, son of Arc. What is your name?"

 **Ariamis the Nexus;**

 **The purgatory of the land of lords was sacred, protected by the guardians chosen from the silver eyed children of the everlasting forests before the times of the flame. The Archtrees were prominent in Ariamis, perhaps due to the seeds that were planted before the first summer. However, when the first paragon invaded Ariamis, the trees were burned. The silver eyed children of the forest were struck by this loss, and sealed the sacred land where no-one but they could see. Inside the nexus, death means nothing, but without the will to continue, corruption will take place. And when the flame dies out once more, the protector's flame will fade, and a new lord must take up the position. Only death can pay for life. And the secrets of death are yet intact, a thin veil hiding the truth from the true seekers. Perhaps the answers are hidden deeper within Ariamis, where the silver eyed children hid the things that should not be seen by the eyes of men.**

"J-Jaune. So I am dead? And who was the Arc who came before me? My grandfather?" I asked, on a hunch that he was the last Arc to pass.

"You are dead, Jaune. However, for now, you will listen. Your father Arthur was the last Arc here, but he had to leave. I forced him to." She said, sadness creeping onto her face. "This is a purgatory. A place to reflect and realise your mistakes. Then, I will release you. As I did for your father. And as I shall for those you sire." She stated simply.

"What? You knew my father? How? And who are you?" Questions flooded my mind, but I had already come to the conclusion she would reveal.

"I am Summer Rose. I know your father from the first summer, which I will tell you more of in the future. We fought beside each other. Did he tell you the legends?" She inquired, asking me of my father. I gaped for a while recognising her second name.

"Are you Ruby's mother?" I asked, veering off topic, and ignoring her questions.

Her face turned, anger alighting in her eyes. Suddenly, a large reaping scythe appeared in her arms, and hooked itself around the nape of my neck. The scythe itself seemed to writhe, almost as if made of the same substance as the wall I walked through before my death. However, due to my close inspection, I could see that it was some kind of wood. The same kind that had come from the walls, which had looked so sturdy. A shout disrupted my musings, and intimidated me more than I am happy to admit. This was a powerful woman.

"WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER? ANSWER ME!" The woman screamed, mere centimetres from my face. The scythe moved slightly closer to my neck. Her rage was uncontained, and hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn.

"She was with me when I died. I swear, that's when I last saw her. She was on the walls near a bonfire shrine thing my friend called Firelink shrine." I shouted quickly, trying to avoid a second death.

"You were with her? Why? And why are you in Lordran?" She spoke, her rage receding, but her silver eyes shining.

"We were looking for a way home. Beacon was attacked, and Glynda Goodwitch told me to go help in vale to take my mind off of a… friend of mine. Then, Loads of light came from the top of the CCT tower in Beacon. I got knocked out by something I thought was our headmaster. When I woke up, we were in the Grimmlands, and Ruby was with me. We went through a prison or asylum, and when we found a way out, it was in a massive portal. And then we appeared here." That's all I know, except from the legends." I spurted, trying to stop my almost imminent demise.

"Very well. Go and save her, son of Arc. We will talk more of the nexus next time." She sadistically smiled. "After all, do we not all dream of a long summer?" She questioned, before the world faded once more, and Jaune occupied the void for another second.

Jaune Arc arose once more, feeling slightly weaker than before, and much more disorientated.

 **Meanwhile, in the Jade forest:**

 **3** **rd** **Person POV.**

"Raven, its time." Her twin bird spoke, agitating her. "We need to assist them. They are Ozpin's chosen, whether he lived or not."

"You are wrong, Qrow. I will assist you in your folly, but my priority is myself. Only a weapon can rid the world of dark. A weapon of chaos that I will find. I will continue to search the ruins of Izalith. Call upon me when you need me, but I will not be their guide, or submit so meekly to your will." Raven snapped, protecting her intentions. Slowly, she walked deeper into the forest, a portal appearing before her with a swipe of her blood red katana. Suddenly, she disappeared, leaving the lone Qrow.

"I hope you know what you are doing Raven. For their sake, for Yang's sake. But mostly, for your sake." Qrow articulated, downtrodden.

 **Meanwhile, in Vale, Remnant.**

"You can't stop me! My two daughters are in there! Tell me!" An angry Taiyang raged in the face of Glynda Goodwitch.

"They were sent there through the portal with Qrow. Unless you can find a way to use enough aura to match the silver eyed power, the headmaster, Qrow and me, you will not open a portal. Raven is your only way to get to Lordran. And General ironwood would rebel if he found out atlas was left out of this secret. The only reason you know is because of Summer!" Glynda retaliated, snapping at the retired hunter.

"Don't presume to speak of Summer as if you knew her. Nobody did!" Taiyang screamed, drawing his weapons.

A sudden voice came from the door, low and commanding, but apathetic.

"Taiyang. That's enough. Come with me, and you will be able to meet your daughters. Professor Goodwitch, there is more visitors waiting to see you outside. Although I fear it will take a similar tone, that I will be unable to save you from. Farewell. And good luck."

Arthur Arc and Taiyang Xiao Long left the room, heading back to an old land. There was a few years between them, but the men were almost exactly the same height. However, Taiyang was toned and dexterous, while Arthur was strong and muscular. They were indeed powerful men, and fearless hunters, with a new prey in mind. They would hunt to the ends of another planet just to find their heirs.

However, another powerful man walked between them, entering the room. Even the sight of him chilled the normally fearless professor, and caused foreboding.

"Hello, Mister Schnee. Winter."

 **(A/N, Phew. Done, and boy did this one take some brain cells. Please take into account that Ariamis is late in the story, and will be explained in pieces until then.**

 **I haven't forgotten Ruby, she is just not in the same timeframe as these events. These events are happening as she is crying, and no time is passing as Jaune, Qrow or Vale is happening. The next chapter will be a Ruby and Jaune one, with Vale.**

 **Any questions and stuff in PMs or reviews, I do always reply, but please be logged in so I can reply in a PM. Thanks for reading.**

 **Also, Lordran is the land of lords, AFTER the dragons died. Not during. Dragons are (mostly) dead.**

 **This took about 6 hours to write because it was so complex. Thank god it's the holidays.**

 **P.S, this fic will likely run up to 150-200k words, and at until next year. Don't ask. Holidays will increase upload times.)**


	11. Drunk on hope

**Grimm souls; Paragons chapter 11**

 **(A/N, Triple chapter week! New record. Anyway, new chapter based on Ruby while Jaune was in the nexus.**

 **Thanks to everyone supporting and reading, I have over 4k views and 40 favs. But, I have over 30k words. Huh. Hmmmm….**

 **Similarly, more people from the Philippines read this than my home country of the entire UK. Irony!**

 **It's not about the numbers. I will continue to write, but please leave your support anyway.**

 **I don't own RWBY, DS, BB or any other things. Except this fic. All mine. Mwahahaha.)**

 **Time continuum (This is for those who do not know DS lore, and want to know a time frame for these events. However, the events take places over long times usually one or two generations).**

 **Age of ancients (Everyone born at end. Summer Rose born at end, but travels to Remnant) - Age of fire (Dragons die out, STRQ and AEGS travel to Lordran, Archtrees burnt in Ariamis) - Fire fades (Summer rose takes the nexus, Arthur, Taiyang and Qrow returns to Remnant. RWBY characters born here.) - Fall of Beacon and fire fades (Current events)- Age of fire** **(Effect of this fic, Time between DS1-DS2)- Fire fades (DS2 Events)- Age of fire (Time between DS2-DS3)- Lords abandon thrones, New lord of Cinder (DS3 endings, any fulfils prophecy. Last gods: Nameless king, Soul of Cinder and Gwynevere die.)**

 **Faunus settlement; upper ramparts.**

Ruby cried.

She didn't know how long for, where she was or even what was around her. Jaune was gone.

Her silver eyes shone, and time stopped for an instant, before speeding forward. In her eyes, a few seconds past, and the area around her crumbled simply due to coincidence.

But in reality, a thousand years past due to her poorly controlled misery. In a small vicinity, time accelerated, the masonry crumbling, and shadows of monsters and men passed. The world strained under her watch, rumbling around her.

Slowly, she began to feel the strain of her semblance using her aura, and time passing. Quickly, she reacted in shock, stopping her aura and retaining control. Ruby stood, noting the small changes of the walls beside her, and the masonry beneath her feet being slightly worn beneath her boots. In the distance, the same hollows that had stood so vigilantly had moved, and their armor was further degraded, with more holes than she remembered.

Ruby looked down, seeing small tendrils in the floor, leading to a small crater next to where she had cried.

'Did I do this? What did I do? My semblance doesn't do this. How?' She questioned mentally, unknowing of her semblance's evolution and rebirth at Yatsuhashi's hand.

Suddenly, she heard steps from behind her, ascending the previously ignored stairs, which had escaped her vision and power when she inadvertently unleashed her power. The footsteps became heavier, and suddenly, a mop of blond hair appeared at the top stairs. Another step revealed the face of the lovable moron.

"Jaune!" Ruby screamed, hurtling towards the knight in shining armor.

 **10 minutes earlier…**

Jaune Arc's resurrection was a strange feeling. One he was uncomfortable with, and did not wish to be reacquainted with.

"Uhhhh. What?" Jaune said to nobody, not really comprehending any of the events of the death he had just experienced.

He was standing directly beside the bonfire, back in full health, and his armor looked magically repaired. He felt slightly weaker, along with, an ominous sense of déjà vu.

With Sky's recent departure, Jaune decided it was best to worry later, and rush to Ruby now. After all, her mom was some kind of angel of death. There isn't many people Jaune would intentionally irritate, but it seems a fair idea not to tangle with someone who can reverse death, and probably cause it.

Beginning his journey, he walked passed the well he previously past briskly, raring to save Ruby. Reaching the steps he had ascended once before, he followed his footsteps up, until he reached the top.

He realised then that the enemies he had previously fought were back. Except one. The woman with the bow had not come back, and instead left a blank space. Now only fou... yeah, he really wished he had a gun.

'If I draw them away, those guys throwing bombs can't hurt me. It might work.'

Sighing, Jaune rushed to meet the first warrior, before immediately strafing backwards to avoid a swing from the longsword. He quickly ducked even further back, out of range of the armada of firebombs ready to immolate him.

He began to combat the hollow, blocking the first strike that came his way, and dodging the second with another roll. Apparently he had an affinity for rolling. Who knew? In the time between his thoughts, another lazy strike came at him, weak in comparison for anything they were trained at beacon for. What Jaune didn't expect was for the hollow to follow up with a flurry of blows, scratching his shield and numbing his arm, before outright breaking his guard. Luckily, the hollow seemed to miss his opportunity, and Jaune sliced for his shoulder, catching the hollow with its weapon down. The blade of Crocea Mors sliced through the breastplate and pauldron of the soldier, leaving a long scar reaching into the ribs and organs of the creature. It fell with a cry, and the lights in its eyes extinguished. Jaune felt better morally, now knowing that eve in death, they could return. Would they follow the same experience as him? What happened to them, when they died? One hollow down. That's all he knew.

Questions for later, he decided, but the thought of death still lingered, with his own possibly close at hand.

Returning his attention to the quarrel in front of him, he saw the warriors lining the cliffs. Two had firebombs already in hand, primed to throw at him. The other had a small dagger in his hand, and was holding a round shield in his offhand. It waited, presumably being out of firebombs, or out of range. It stood on the stairs into the aqueduct, and waited.

Jaune quickly rushed up the stairs, avoiding the first barrage of incoming death. The two firebomb floated by harmlessly, and splashed fiery liquid on the grass, which seemed resilient to fire, only small patches of ash covering the dirt.

Jaune quickly transitioned from running to stabbing, the point of his straight sword sheathing itself inside of the hollow in front of him, and protruding from his back. Jaune felt blood spatter on both him and his blade, before removing it, leaving the soldier in a pool of blood and innards.

The huntsman continued to fight, running to the next threat without wasting a second.

The second hollow was prepared for this, and drew a large spear and a cracked shield, exactly similar to the one standing above them on the steps, who began to rush into the battle...

'Why do I do things?' He mentally questioned, his mind becoming slightly high pitch and whiny.

He took one step back, entering a stance to allow his shield priority. Crocea Mors rested behind him, pointing to the floor, but ready for a strike. Pyrrha's training kicked in, guiding his movements. The world moved in a slight blur, and he could have sworn he saw tendrils approaching him, which gradually sped up time. He didn't pay attention to these, however, as they wandered the periphery of his vision. The first thrust came from the spearman, which he strafed and countered, slashing down at the top of the head, before turning his strike to avoid the rising shield, and chopping into the hip. The second soldier crumpled, and the third instantly moved to avenge his re-killed comrade.

The shell of a man lead with many quick stabs with the small dagger, scratching into Jaune's shield, with some irregular stabs catching his armor or into his flesh, scarring his shoulders and chest, while the shield and sheath blocked his vital organs and his head. Few strikes even found their way below his hips, slashing into the barely defended thighs of Jaune.

Quickly jumping back, he re-strategized, taking an aggressive stance and retracting his shield. Straightening his back, he launched himself at the hollow, wielding his family's sword in both hands, almost crumpling the small round shield of the hollow. On the third blow, the shield careened off to the side, allowing Jaune to viscerally attack, plunging his sword into the sternum of his adversary, and carefully sliding it out, killing the hollow.

The path was now open, and Jaune walked over the corpses, on his way to find Ruby.

Remembering and eviscerating the rat behind him, he made his way back to his death. With each kill, he felt stronger, unaware of the latent power within him growing and siphoning power.

 **Vale city center;**

"Where is she?!" The gruff voice came, demanding and arrogant. The man was a figure of authority in Atlas as part of its triumvirate. He was one of the three rulers of an ancient system, along with General Ironwood, and Celestia Soliel, who had presidency over the diplomacy of Atlas, while the Economy fell to the Schnee. The general well… even Jaune had enough brain cells to figure that one out. However, Celestia was currently in Vacuo, on a diplomatic mission, while the General was missing. He was in Vale, and some said that he had been killed, but no body was found. Willow Schnee did not deal in rumour.

"Father. Shouting is uncouth. This will not help us." Winter spoke timidly, attempting to calm her father without inciting his wrath.

"SHE'S MY DAUGHTER!" Willow proclaimed, a warning more than a declaration, almost as if prophesising his wrath on any who would hurt his kin. His eyes shone a sapphire blue, solid and resolute. Many would call him handsome without his ridiculous moustache. However, Winter had seen someone try to ask him to shave. It was common knowledge that what happened to the Coal family was a risk when messing with the Schnee. Even now the Coal family are only hunters, because the dust market had been taken for his heinous crime. Never ask Willow about the moustache.

She remembered her father's call after Weiss's match, asking who it was that had assaulted his daughter in the tournament. Luckily, she was able to change the question to Weiss's training, which lessened Willow's ire.

"I understand, but no-one has seen her. Unless you can turn back time, you will remain stressed out. Now I suggest you leave, your daughter will not be found here. The only ones who can help you left when you entered." Glynda remarked, almost smirking beneath her stoic facial expression. She revelled in knowing more than the Triumvirate, and the most influential man in the world. "Arthur Arc, Taiyang Xiao Long, Qrow, Headmaster Ozpin and Summer Rose are the only people well versed in these matters. Their assistance is your only hope." She noted, unaware of the many presences that contradicted her words, by accident or purpose.

"Those plebeians? What could they know that I do not? I have had every research team in the SDC investigate. I have had every man, woman and child investigated. Every witness just revelled in some power from the top of a tower, which was exactly where my daughter would have been from the reports of that animal from Haven." He cursed the Faunus, his residual hatred showing.

"You will not disrespect those men, nor the Faunus. Both the Faunus and Qrow have saved your daughter and are likely to save her again. Go and find them if you really think they will help you." Glynda stormed, raging at the racist. Even though they weren't her students, they were still just that.

"They won't. But they will take me. Father. Let me handle this. Go and govern atlas, and I will find Weiss." Winter spoke up, interrupting her father before he could speak, and providing an alternative to mindless violence, which could be traced to the SDC.

"If you should fail me, Weiss will be my heiress in more than name. Am I understood?" Willow threatened. Direct and to the point, it fit him to threaten his daughter to save the other. He left in a literal storm, with snowflakes flowing from his palms. A lesser man once joked that the Schnee's dandruff was snow. Within the week, no traces were found of the man's bloodline. Winter and Weiss found a very familiar looking figure frozen into a statue resembling the man. Winter remembered Weiss's crying that night. After her mother's death, Winter felt like a mother. That isn't to say she didn't reel from Ivory Schnee's death. She simply didn't have time. Weiss needed one parent at least.

"Do you think he will help me?" Winter asked, and Glynda knew who she meant. She always knew. From the start of this conversation, and upon seeing the two huntsman leave past her, she and Glynda knew that only one person living would help the Schnee leave to a place of even more power, and even more influence. A disaster if her father was to know. The best case: The Schnee family inhabit Lordran, and take all its resources, selling them at fair and reasonable costs. Worst case: Slavery of Faunus escalates, and they are forcefully sent to Lordran as cheap miners, and goods are sold at extensive costs.

"He will, but at a cost. Are you really going to do it?" Glynda asked, aware that death was preferable. Even Ozpin had become exasperated with the man occasionally. She really couldn't believe a Schnee of such class and grace was going to do this. But desperate times, desperate measures.

Winter simply nodded, and walked out. Brining up her scroll, she called an old friend.

"Qrow. I need a favour. Yes I will bring alcohol in return. Meet me at the Breach"

 **Faunus Settlement, upper ramparts;**

Jaune was unsure of exactly how this had happened. After defeating the previous hollows at the top of the stairs, he had begun to combat what he thought was the final one, beside the fog door of the house he had previously occupied. However, upon its defeat, he was ambushed by another hollow from the opposite house, despite it being empty last time. Or, much more likely…

'We really need to be more careful.' Occurred to Jaune, after his sudden shock. After his death, resurrection and current experience, it seemed fitting. Not many get a second chance. He hated video games with infinite lives, because his sisters would scream "FILTHY CASUAL" after every time he played if he tried to use the cheat codes he looked up. Especially on Contra. They hated him for that.

Returning to his point, he was currently brawling a hollow in full armor, with both of their weapons flung to the side. His own due to the ambush, and the hollow's from Jaune's superior training. A dagger lay on the ground near his feet, and Crocea Mors lay behind him. His shield remained retracted, almost useless in hand to hand combat. He quickly readied himself, remembering Pyrrha's late night sparring sessions. They were almost always focused on grapples, for some reason, but Jaune was sure she knew better than he did. And he enjoyed it. That too.

In the seconds he was mourning Pyrrha, and remembering her slight perversion, the hollow charged, apparently not needing a weapon to be aggressive. It swung in a large arc, but curved towards Jaune's skull at the last second, aiming for his temple.

Unconsciously moving, he followed one of Pyrrha's trademark grapples, rolling under the punch, between the legs of the hollow, who had overextended due to Jaune's quick movement, and behind it. He quickly held it in a full nelson, locking it in place, before quickly transitioning into a chokehold, and pulling the hollow to the floor. Slowly, Jaune realised that the hollow wasn't breathing anyway, and was angered by his attempted murder.

'Damn. Guess I need some help.' Jaune thought, mentally mapping any possible way to escape without being immediately beaten by the hollow. It was clear that this monster was stronger and probably faster, simply because it wasn't the size of small teenager. It was a fully grown man, and Jaune was an adolescent.

His mind raced as fast as his body, realising he had to act. He sprung away, rolling away from the chokehold and releasing his enemy, before grabbing the nearby dagger. He turned to see the black eyes mere centimetres from his own, the attached body already in motion to grab him. Acting without thinking once more ('I seem to do this too much') echoing in his mind, he stabbed the dagger into its neck, and saw a small spatter of blood once more cover his gauntlet and forearm, as well as the shabby dagger he had stolen. Ironic, really that he had killed the sneak and thief by stealing its weapon.

He recuperated quickly, recovering his weapon and reattaching it to his hip, and left the dagger with the corpse of its owner. He thought all the same Grimm thoughts of death after every kill, wondering for a second on the fate of these seemingly reviving hollows.

After his momentary eulogy, he left once more, forgetting the dagger and heading to find Ruby. He hoped she hadn't gone far. Even as he rose the steps, he worried that those previous tendrils of time hadn't hurt Ruby, or more worryingly, taken her. He remembered another video game ('What is with me today' quickly took his mind before he went back to his initial thought) called local evil, when a character called Ashleigh was kidnapped by an evil virus, that caused them to shout repetitively.

Even with these strange thoughts swirling in his mind, he recognised the small presence in front of him, near a bloodstain he assumed was his own. He heard the call of his name, but still could not avoid the red bullet speeding towards him. Ruby piled him into the floor, forcing his head down onto the floor just above the top step behind him. Rose petals covered him and Ruby, making for a seemingly intimate reunion, before Ruby realised the effect she had created.

Blushing shyly, she stood, and offered her hand down to a befuddled Jaune.

"Hey. Need a hand?" She questioned, mocking their first meeting.

"Very funny." He pouted, mimicking his own greeting of Pyrrha. Luckily, Ruby didn't know about his meeting, or how he had been almost kidnapped by Pyrrha at her first chance. He wasn't complaining. He wasn't dead. Not yet.

 **Meanwhile on Patch, in Vale's archipelago;**

"Tai, are you sure? Even if they were in Lordran, what makes you think we will find them? Even with Summer by my side and Raven's help, I was lost constantly. You have never been to Lordran, and Qrow will be off somewhere, possibly antagonising someone, probably in Lordran. Just because your team can survive, it doesn't mean we can. My team died in Lordran. All of them. I took them, and they all died. If you recall, only Summer came back. Raven never came back for all we know. She abandoned you and a daughter, and told you she would return. Qrow and I took care of Yang for those three months. You cried for Raven to come back to our world, while Summer went to help Ozpin and the maidens. And you moped. We took care of every responsibility you had. Do you want that for your children? Even when Summer went missing, you left Yang and me to take care of Ruby, while Qrow searched. We won't survive alone. Even with the best six huntsman available, my team and yours were lost in that abyss. Now only you, me and Qrow remain. Summer is lost, and I don't know where. Raven is lost, and I don't know where. All my team are in that abyss, consumed and dead. My semblance is weaker, and you haven't fought anything bigger than a bear since your job at Signal." Arthur Arc stacked every odd against them. Every weakness and every loss. He was right.

"I am going in there to die." Tai stated evenly, fully out of character. "I don't have your semblance, and we are outnumbered." He continued in a tone that suited Raven, unnerving Arthur. "We are likely going into the same hell, and we are likely to die before we even see our children." He agreed. "But, you fail to see that we know what is in there. We have a real goal. We are going in there knowing. And knowing is half the battle." He finished with, his even tone deteriorating into his usual victories tone.

"Well, shit. I'll fight for that." Arthur smiled, the sparks from Tai's gauntlets making him look like an action hero rather than a middle aged man with an aged, secondary sword.

"Are you ever going to tell Jaune about his weapon? Yang knew how to fully wield any weapon by age ten. Ruby could use Qrow's scythe by age eight, but your son can barely use the simplest weapon ever created. A straight sword and a—"

"He will know. When the time comes, he will. We don't want another repeat of Eris." He laughed, remembering his teammate who had been on his team during their mission in the abyss. She was the clumsy tinkerer of his team, always destroying, without thought.

He smiled, as his reserve straight sword was unleashed.

Divination unsheathed, a common greatsword on first inspection, but a large hunting rifle, sharp greatsword and swordspear upon transformation.

The weapon's hilt elongated twice, once into a stock for the rifle, and the second into a large crossgaurd for the swordspear. The blade was razor sharp, but seemed to liquefy in order to form the barrel and receiver of a hunting rifle. Then, it quickly and mysteriously reliquefied, forming a swordspear, the same length as the greatsword, but wider at the tip and shorter at the base in some strange formation. Truly, it was a weapon that no man should be able to wield, let alone children.

Like a scythe.

 **(A/N: Done! I had fun writing this one, and went more with my heart than RWBY or DS lore. Other than the time continuum at the top, and the Ruby power, I completely went off the walls.**

 **In case most people didn't recognise, General ironwood is missing, Ciel's mother is a part of the triumvirate (Roman government in Caesar's era), and willow Schnee is sending Winter to Lordran, and has troops in Vale. Atlas troops.**

 **Taiyang is introduced as an optimist after Summer's death, scaring Arc senior. As you can imagine, he is rusty, and Arthur is older than him. Age mentioned when I decide it.**

 **Lore bombs: Everyone from STRQ and AEGS (Aegis, Arthur Arc's team) went to Lordran, and only Arthur, Tai and Qrow return.**

 **Summer's fate is known, and she returns, until she "Vanishes" (into Lordran).**

 **Raven left Tai while in Lordran, and he knew it, but didn't tell Yang.**

 **Qrow's scroll is special. This was not an error, they cannot go between worlds, but Qrow has his ways.**

 **Ozpin, Glynda and Winter (Meetings of the group is my excuse) knows about Lordran, and Ozpin sent Summer places. (Lordran)**

 **Thank you for reading, leave reviews and all that. And if you are still reading. Well done. Eat a sandwich. You deserve it.)**


	12. Rest and Requiem

**Grimm souls; paragons chapter 12**

 **(A/N: Been a while, huh? Sorry all, but I have been handing in my final assessments, and visiting universities. No excuse, but I cannot do everything. Sorry.**

 **Anyway, thanks to Kinzarks again, helping me through everything. What a guy….)**

 **Faunus settlement, upper ramparts**

"What, why? I mean how? You're O.k.!" Ruby squealed, happy to have her companion back, tears still falling from her eyes, and the rose petal surrounding her dissipating. Jaune noticed her shining eyes, and immediately felt another hug from the little reaper. His stomach was condensed as Ruby crushed him, but he felt no discomfort or pain. Suddenly, the pressure left, and Ruby's face appeared once more. "How did you come back?" She asked, attempting to sound worried or confused. Jaune didn't think she pulled off either, sounding more astounded than shocked, but went with it.

"I don't know. When I died, I felt myself get weaker, and then really angry, then I was at this weird place. And I met yo-"

Jaune was cut off quickly, by a bolt deciding to embed itself between his feet. Clearly the hollows waiting had decided to attack, bored of standing in plain sight. The bolt was fired from a crossbow, medieval in design, but definitely deadly. Ruby and Jaune darted round, staring down the hollow that had fired. One more was obviously placed on the stairs, with disregard for stealth. On the right side, an overhang paved the way too two more hollows, wearing a shield and spear combo.

Jaune began walking forward, but his mind was elsewhere, focusing on the strange death he had faced, and the dragon. He found that scariest. Would he be returned every time? Was he immortal? Was Ruby? And why was her mother able to give him life? Questions writhed in his mind, as he began to pick up speed, charging into the center of the battlefield, Ruby at his side.

Or not. Ruby was ten yards behind him, standing at the entrance to the small square, shocked at Jaune's random movement. Her face clearly showed confusion once more, concerned for Jaune.

"Jaune!" Came a scream, echoing from Ruby. Jaune just stared, looking at her. Her eyes were shining, and not from the tears previously rolling down her face. They lit up silver, and the world blurred. Jaune didn't see much, but remembered Ruby's determined face, and her scythe's noise. Suddenly, the world shifted back into motion, with small silver tendrils appearing again, marking Ruby's trail. They quickly disappeared as Jaune turned, face to face with Ruby, who was standing over another hollow corpse, while aiming her rifle. He knew the loud noise would deafen him before it did, yet he still heard the clunk of the body hitting the floor. Ruby's discarded bullet jacket dinged off of his armor, not concerning him.

Ruby assessed her works. Two dead hollows were gone, with one more on the stairs, ready to fight. It held a simple sword, and walked in a straight line. Another bullet down. Another thud as the body hit the floor. Perfection. Her magazine was ejected, and another came from her pouch. It was light. At the next chance she would have to refill it, with the few she had put in the bottomless box. Jaune currently held it in his pockets, though she really didn't understand. She only wanted the cookies or snacks he had inside it. She would have to appropriate it at the next chance.

Ruby turned back to Jaune, who was gaping and staring like a moron.

God damnit Jaune….

 **Winter Schnee POV; Vale city center.**

"So ice queen, you're looking for your little sister? And she just so happened to have been abducted to another world? Why would you think I know anything about this?" Qrow smirked, teasing me. That mocking smirk….

"You have made reports to Ozpin and the General about "Lordran". I read all the books in our library about another world, and the Schnee family even have artefacts that are from said world. You must know."

'I'm sure he's withholding information, simply to annoy and aggravate. And Weiss's necklace is proof of this world. Our family had once been to Lordran. My father once boasted that Ivory had been, and brought him back his sword. No-one had dared to question it, but I believed him. My sword and Myrtenaster were built of a material no man had ever seen. What other explanation was there?' The smell of alcohol disturbed my thought.

"Probably. But what's in it for me?" He's drunk. And rude. And horrid. But I have to do this. For Weiss. For Weiss.

"Fine old man. You have the SDC's resources. But you will have to talk to my father about ownership." I smirked. Revenge is sweet.

"All of them?" He smiled perversely, but keeping eye contact and smiling. I hate this man.

"Just take me to my sister!" I raged, forcing back the drunken crow. He took half a step, but did not flinch. That Bastard.

"Fine. We'll go. But you will have to bring your weapons. It's no cakewalk. Even for a legend such as myself." He bragged, the smirk still gracing his face.

"Fine. But is we get attacked, I'm not staying to comfort you. Once we get my sister, we leave."

'Smug bastard. Weiss, you better be safe.'

 **Jaune Arc POV; Upper ramparts bonfire**

"So, should we talk about it?" Ruby began, the morose look in her eyes worrying Jaune.

"Yeah, I suppose it's time"

"She was on top of the tower, and that woman killed her." Jaune's face hardened, and his jaw tightened.

"I know. I was in vale, and found Glynda. She told me to go to fight to get over it, but then someone knocked me out. I thought it was Ozpin, but then light came from the tower. Was it Pyrrha?"

"No, she was already gone. That was me. I think. My uncle told me it was."

"Do you know how we got here?" Jaune asked, not having an explanation

"No."

"My dad told me the legends of Lordran. That's where we are. I thought it was a story. Do you know it?"

"No. My dad never told me or Yang stories about fighting." Ruby reminisced

"I'll tell you, but I don't know the whole story. He only told me parts, and wouldn't tell me all of the story. "

 **The fate of Ariamis (Partial reminiscence of Jaune Arc)**

 **The flame is all that matters.**

 **Long ago, the world was silver. Those with souls sheltered weakly in Ariamis, a great haven of Archtrees that hid the weak silver eyed from the Dragons. When the dragons nested inside the Archtrees, the silver eyed warriors defended their homeland. They were quickly weakened and burned.**

 **UNKNOWN EVENTS**

 **Then, disparity came. An unknown maiden fought against the dragons, reclaiming her home. During her final hour, she spoke a dirge, breaking and binding worlds, causing portals to erupt in the worlds.**

 **Remnant and Lordran were bonded, with maidens inhabiting the struggling world, and warriors of remnant drawn to Ariamis, aiding the maidens, fighting against dragons and Grimm alike. Heroes and soldiers fought, and the worlds became stable.**

 **UNKNOWN EVENTS**

 **However, Ariamis was overwhelmed with the new enemies, and Grimm attacked Ariamis, and took Lordran. The maidens fell, dying one by one. The maidens of Remnant were recalled, and warriors accompanied them, aiding the last maidens.**

 **A team of warriors returned with the youngest maiden, and journeyed to Ariamis. In the final moments of its defence, the last maidens taught the youngest a dirge, sealing Ariamis as a nexus, away from the burning worlds.**

 **UNKNOWN EVENTS**

 **They maintained the nexus, allowing the young heroes to fight the Grimm, freeing Lordran and Remnant. An old family of Remnant, imbued with a soul of the lords, fought alongside the young maiden, and defeated the first Grimm. The soul was released beneath the earth, harboured in the kiln of the first flame, waiting to be fragmented and reused, to fight again.**

 **UNKNOWN EVENTS**

 **Upon their return to Ariamis, the heroes discovered that only one maiden remained, standing in a great mausoleum, filled with Grimm and blood. The ritual to seal the dying world complete, the lord soul she held was released, being inherited by the last silver eyed maiden, who stayed as the guardian, and defended it.**

 **UNKNOWN EVENTS"**

"My dad told me other stories, but I don't remember them all, and he didn't tell me everything. Like where the team of warriors went, or who they were. He said that some of Remnants great families like the Schnee were involved, but never named anyone." Jaune tried to remember, but did not recall the stories he was told a decade ago, which seemed so useless.

"It's O.K. Jaune. Maybe we can find him and ask? Or we can find someone else? What about that other world? Can we get to it? Why are silver eyes so special? I have silver eyes! Do I have powers? Can I have a cookie?" Ruby's tone gradually grew louder and higher, showing her excitement.

"Ruby, let's just have a rest. The sun hasn't gone down yet, but it will soon. Here's a cookie" Jaune said, handing a cookie to Ruby.

"You were hiding cookies in that box!" Ruby accused, chomping on the cookie, crumbs spilling everywhere.

Jaune smiled in response, looking at the now crumb covered girl.

"Ruby, I kept them so you wouldn't eat them all. We can share." Jaune laughed in his head, but showed a content smile, beginning to eat a cookie.

The two fell into a content mood, chatting about nothing and everything all at once. Cookies were eaten, the estus flask was emptied and filled many times, and good times were had. They sat beneath the sun, waiting in the light. Soon, they fell into a slumber, the sun still bearing down outside the old brick building, with cookie crumbs covering floor and face alike.

 **(A/N; Well, sorry for the late upload, but as mentioned at the top, I was visiting universities. As much as I love writing for you guys, I cannot put it above my future career, and what I want to do. That said, the holidays are coming up, and I will have more time. Thanks to Kinzarks, and the other 35 reviewers, who would take up a page in naming. Love you guys! Keep it up!)**


	13. Memory and Misery

**Grimm souls; Paragons; chapter 13**

 **(A/N: Hey guys, been a while, sorry for the later upload. My final exams ended this Monday, and I am finally able to write again! Similarly, I am sorry that I wasn't able to write for the Tuesday, but I had tennis. Real life problems, I know.**

 **Anyway, RTX was this week, and V4 trailers and the character art was shown! So cool, and so much hype! If you didn't see it, it was a RWBY trailer of Ruby killing things, a new Grimm, Ruby talking to JN(P)R, and showing the situation with Weiss, Blake and Yang. The character outfits look cool, with Ruby looking deadly, Weiss looking queenly, Blake looking like Blade/Neo in white, and Yang actually wearing clothes (lol).**

 **Thanks go CoolhandJaune, who has contributed greatly to my ideas for progression and enemies, as well as possible ways to advance the characters. I am sure we will have an at length discussion on this chapter, too. Thanks to you.**

 **And Kinzarks, who I am convinced is trying to one-up me on fics by writing an amazing one. Make sure to follow him.**

 **Anyway, on with the literature.)**

 **(Contains mature language, but this is an M rated fic, soooooo….. yeah.)**

 **Faunus settlement; upper ramparts:**

"Argghhhrggg" Ruby groaned awake, sounding like a grown man

"Eeehhhhh" Jaune squeaked, sounding like a very girly youth, to Ruby's mirth.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Let's just go." Jaune sighed, rising from the floor, surrounded by crumbs of cookies, and melted chocolate.

"Did we sleep through the whole night? What is happening here?" Ruby questioned, more concerned about the sun than the cold and open room that they just slept in, with hostile enemies outside.

"I don't know." Jaune said, walking to the exit. "But let's find out."

Ruby followed, slightly admiring Jaune's heroism, and the cool line that came with it.

'Still just vomit boy? I guess we all change' Ruby thought, smiling and following her blond friend.

 **Meanwhile, Firelink shrine, Lordran**

"What are you two doing here?"

"I can only imagine it's the same thing you two plan on doing." The cocky response came, along with a smirk. "Besides, I have to look after my nieces and their little friends"

"We are here to save MY sister, by the order of my father. Nothing more, and we won't leave until we find her." The ice queen snapped, eyes alight in a harmony of ice and fire.

Taiyang and Arthur stared down the duo, judging silently, until Arthur came to a solution.

"Fine. Qrow, you and Winter look for the other Schnee, and for Ruby. We will look for Yang and Jaune."

"Her name is Weiss!" The ice queen raged, staring down Arthur, and eyeing Taiyang. "Besides, what about the others who came through the portal? Your Son's team and Weiss's teammate? As well as the others at the school."

"Oh. Oh yeah." Came Tai's response. "I guess we can collect them afterwards. We will use the shrine as a safe zone. Send the kids back here."

"Tai." Qrow stated, staring him down "It can't happen again. Especially not to them. The kids Tai. Remember what happened to Raven."

Tai's eyes lit with fire, a slight burning aura enshrouding his hair, lighting the area around him. "I'll kill anything that tries it. Anything and everything." Tai raged, malice emanating from him.

"We still need to find the kids first. If they find the way back, alone. This could get a lot worse. Remember the graves. The servants, Arthur."

"Uhhhh Shit."

 **Faunus settlements; Upper ramparts**

Jaune and Ruby began wading out into the thick sunlight, meeting the duo. Crossbow bolts came at Ruby, in almost slow motion, as she sidestepped, planting her scythe in the floor, and a bullet through the hollow's skull.

Jaune faced the hollow barrelling up the nearby stairs, hurling into Jaune.

As the swords met, sparks flew in all directions, falling to the floor, scorching small marks into its surface. Jaune took the initiative, rolling to avoid a stray swing, finishing near the edge. Wobbling slightly, Jaune regained his footing, standing stalwart against the hollow, who now had the head of a scythe buried through its chest.

"Jaune, be sure to remain on your feet and attack. You can't run and hide in small spaces, and you have no ranged options." Ruby offered, beginning to walk across a stone bridge, adorned by small detailed carvings. Jaune followed, walking beside Ruby, until they reached an entrance, with a soldier staring them down.

Suddenly, an explosion roused them, causing a roaring fire. Ruby jumped haphazardly into Jaune's arms, immediately nuzzling into his chest, as she did with her sister when she was young. It reminded Jaune of his sisters, and gave him a heat-warming feeling. Well, until…

"sorry sorry sorry sorry." Ruby squeaked, jumping out of his arms, and readying her scythe, which seemingly disappeared earlier.

"It's ok, let's just go." Jaune said, focusing on the warrior ahead of him. He began to move, walking tensely towards the warrior in front of him. They met in the middle of the room, an oddly loud clash coming from the echoing walls. An intense skirmish ensued, blades of two longswords meeting at chest height, with Jaune taking Ruby's advice to heart, swinging harder to push back the hollow. A dull thud was heard from the hollow, as its back hit the wall, and it stumbled. Jaune danced left, avoiding a strike at him, and swung in an arc upwards, slicing into the chin and head of the hollow.

Jaune turned on his heel, his aura glowing slightly, silently absorbing the essence of the hollow, enhancing his awareness. Only, he turned to face Ruby, with a slightly blood covered scythe and two corpses. He also saw a locked door from the corner of his eye, and an open awning beside Ruby. As his aura faded, he realised he was using it, inducing a fit of joy.

"Ruby. I used my aura!" The blond boy yelled, happy about his progress, but still slightly downtrodden about Ruby's superiority.

"Well done?" Ruby asked, confused, and not knowing of Jaune's previous inability. "Did you never use aura before?" Ruby saw her knight's downtrodden face, and wanted to raise his spirits, without further demeaning his ability.

"Not consciously. I never used it like that." His face turned slightly, reminding him of Pyrrha.

"She still lives on if you remember her." Ruby replied, her face dropping.

"In our hearts?" Jaune replied

"Yes. Just remember what she would do. She always fought for the right thing. She was the strongest. And she taught you everything she knew. You just need to learn, Jaune." The crimson maiden looked at Jaune expectantly.

"Yeah. Yeah. I can do that." Jaune encouraged himself, getting ready to leave. "Let's go."

Jaune led Ruby outside the small room, and up a staircase, coming to face three soldiers, one of which held another firebomb, the others using standard equipment. A small oddity remained on one soldier, in the form of a small patch of bleak darkness, which seemed to writhe upon inspection.

 **Bestiary: Larvae**

 **The fragments of darkness are all that remain. But even the smallest of sparks can ignite hope. Unfortunately, the inverse is true. Darkness reigns in the absence of light, and Larvae can be planted anywhere darkness rules. The Larvae adapt to their host, and will deform to match the host, until the moment of its demise, when the Larvae will hatch, allowing the darkness to change the host.**

 **Commonly found within Hollows and human hosts, they can be implanted in anything, but will require dark emotion to feed and grow. Larvae have been known to kill the hosts with negative emotion, leading into insanity. Only few have ever experienced this, and none have lived to tell, in known history.**

 **Area music: Another one bites the dust (instrumental), Queen**

Ruby rushed past Jaune to combat the ranged threat, allowing Jaune to fight the simpler enemies, in close range. A trail of crimson petals followed her precious rose, up until a slice stopped the whirlwind of petals, and separated the torso of the hollow. The firebomb in its hand fell in slow motion for Ruby, who quickly scanned the area. Jaune was combatting the first, unmarked hollow, while the remaining one charged her.

A short rush closed the distance between Ruby and Jaune, and an even shorter slash opened a gash in the back of the unsuspecting hollow, allowing Jaune to finish the pale monster by impaling it, small amounts of blood gracing the sword before it dissipated, along with the body of the living corpse.

"Arggh!" Ruby heard from her left, and saw horrid incarnate.

Jaune had been pierced by an arrow, stone tipped and crude, but strong enough to cause extreme pain and bleeding. His face and eyes were scrunched in pain, with his hands reaching for the large wound. Ruby sprung to help, panicking for her only companion.

"Jaune! Jaune, here!" She screamed, centimetres from his ear but uncaring, thrusting the aural flask into his hands, and raising it to his lips. He eagerly drunk the estus within, now unassisted, but still hunched in a ball on his knees.

"ARRGGH!" The boy screamed, sounding mutilated as his partner tore the arrow through his shoulder, blood pooling at his knees, leaving him pale. He continued to drink the estus, healing his wounds slowly, keeping him alive.

A small click of a magazine ejecting came from the girl standing above him, and the clunk of a new one replaced it. Ruby quickly found and aimed for the bowman, and removed its head forcibly, before cocking the bolt back, and preparing to fight the last remaining melee soldier. It was closer than she expected, and rushed to attack. A short parry with crescent rose moved it left, before a spinning slash embedded the head of a scythe within its bosom.

Suddenly, darkness enshrouded the hollow and the head of the scythe, transforming the hollow.

It grew immensely, becoming the size of a Beowulf, but with the width and strength of an Ursa. Its transformation ended with it on all fours, with sharp fangs and ripped and torn armour covering small portions of the now-grimm soldier. It reminded Ruby of the large wolves that congregated by Patch in her youth, but with monstrous claws and teeth, that warned of its ferocity. Its muscles tensed, ready to bite at the small prey before it.

Ruby immediately rolled right, coming into the opening they had been fighting in previously, while Jaune lay recovering at the top of the stairs. He stirred, but was still in shock from the blood and arrow that came from him.

Ruby had time to inspect it in greater detail now that there was space between them, and saw the horrible abomination that was with the infested hollow.

 **Bestiary; Bloodhound**

 **A nightmarish variant of the common wolf, grown and matured with the darkness. Commonly grown from smaller human hosts that carry larvae. These creatures constantly hunger for blood, and are masters of hunting and chasing prey. The bone plates that cover the muscles of the hound do not hinder movement, but allows reinforcement for the joints. The teeth are also encased in plated enamel, making them cut deep into the flesh of an enemy.**

 **Strengths: Sharp teeth, agile, fast and experienced hunter.**

 **Weakness: Overeager, unintelligent, easily drawn away.**

The bloodhound turned, sniffing the air for the scent of blood, before slowly padding towards the injured boy. It smelled both fear and bravery, the combination of false hope and determination.

Jaune held his ground, holding his sword in both hands, the scent of sweat, blood and fear gracing him. He stood resolute, ready to fight.

Crescent rose penetrated the nape of the Grimm's neck, spewing blood and offal to the floor below, dipping down the scythe and pooling beneath it. The hound roared loudly, screaming its pain and wrath, before the darkness in its eyes left, slowly fading to white and disintegrating in a storm of rose petals.

"Thanks. We should really talk more in combat" A beaten up Jaune huffed, fully standing and recovered. "Let's go. We only have 3 more uses of this flask. We should probably find a bonfire soon."

Ruby's finger tightened on the trigger, releasing another round, killing a crossbow wielding hollow on the battlements below.

"Sure Jaune. But can I have more cookies?"

"We ate them all, Ruby."

"NNNOOOOOOOO!"

 **(A/N: Thank you, and phew! Exams and finals are over, and it is time for me to write more, since it is the holidays. I will probably be doing bi-weekly updates, and hopefully I have more input from my wonderful fans. *Ass-kissing intensifies*. But really, thanks for reading, and PM me or leave a review to talk to me.)**


	14. The Remnants that remain

**Grimm souls; Paragons Chapter 14**

 **(A/N: Welcome back! This upload will be the first from the holidays, and hopefully first of many. This is being written at my Great great granddad's 102** **nd** **birthday, so it is a special occasion. Anyone watching RvB will also know that RVB is really cool right now.**

 **Thanks again to CoolHandJaune, who continues to create monstrosities in my name. Thanks. Every fan means something. 7,000 views, 40 comments. Not just numbers. People. You made this happen.**

 **Also, sorry if I have not answered your message, the 102 year old's house does not have an internet connection. Shocker.)**

 **Firelink shrine; Lordran**

"Let's split up. Qrow, Winter, you take the path to the cathedral. Me and Tai will go to the forest. They aren't stupid enough to go down the stairs. I trust Jaune to take the easy way, even if Summer's daughter is with him." Arthur's stern voice came, following Taiyang up the stone stairs towards the large aqueduct, demolishing the hollows in his way with deadly efficiency.

"Fine. But if we find them, wait for us here before we leave. I don't want to be stranded here with the ice queen. Or the kids." Qrow slurred, taking a drink from his flask. Winter stared disgustedly at the man in front of her.

"We will find my sister, and then we will come back. No matter what." Winter raged, causing a miniature snowstorm.

"Arthur, do you really think we will find everyone? Remember what happened to YOUR team? We can let them run into the graves of others. Eris and Cleopatra didn't stand a chance. Tutan is gone. You couldn't have helped them."

"No. We can't. They can't die. And there is nothing we can do for my team." Arthur replied ominously, remembering the fate of his team, Anubis. "But that's not what I'm afraid of…" He looked at a small cross pendant he had kept, an artefact of an age passed. Forged by a great blacksmith in Ariamis. Only five existed, kept as relics. "It's what will happen after, that scares me."

He held one inside his clenched fist. One remained with Summer, locked in Ariamis. One remained lost, unknown to all. The last two….

 **Faunus settlement; Battlements**

 **(Area music: Die, Casey lee Williams, RWBY soundtrack)**

Ruby's combat skirt jingled, its metal accessories bouncing as she descended the stairs, passing the body crumpled in the corner. She followed Jaune, inspecting the strange architecture, and the stone walls.

"Ruby? You might wanna see this" Jaune hazarded, stopping strangely at a corner, which had been slightly hidden by the curving walls.

Ruby walked to the edge of the wall, before realising she had been mistaken, and stairs were in fact concealed. And at the bottom of the stairs was a large hunter, wearing Leather armor, but coated in some concoction of Grimm essence, plates and darkness. Its back was turned, facing a corpse, with a very suspicious wound running from its shoulder, down to the hip. Blood had clotted in a pooled beneath it, creating a scaring sight, only equalled by the look of the weapon held by the hunter.

A two handed greatsword, made of some black metal, which shimmered in the sunlight. It had been tainted with blood, slightly marred by the encrusted blood. Ruby and Jaune immediately thought the worst, before realizing their situation. Slowly, they descended the stairs.

"Hey! Hey? Are you OK?" Jaune spoke, taking the lead and attempting to remain positive.

The Man turned, his body shifting to meet the children's. His eyes were a glowing red, unnatural and unnerving, almost as if tinted by the blood he had spilled.

"Do you nee—Arggh" The large sword came down from the man's shoulder towards Jaune, slashing at his head, which he ducked under in a panic.

"Jaune move!" Ruby screamed, readying her precious rose, and scything at the hunter's chest. It scratched deep into the armor, tearing the Grimm covered leather, uncovering the man's chest.

It was a nightmarish black, writhing and changing with every movement. It moved like a worm, but encasing all of his body, and protecting the fragile skin. Jaune swung at the hollow, his sword burying itself into the ribs of the soldier, catching on bone as it scratched beneath the rib, cleaving into the Grimm hunter. "Jaune no!" Ruby yelled, sprinting to help. She reached him as a large greatsword sliced from his shoulder to his sternum, scathing between his ribs and cracking against his spine, coating the blade red once more. His aura cracked into fading light as legs fell from under him, only held up by the sword held by his killer. A small smile decorated the man's face, with small drops of blood and splashes of Grimm essence around it. Ruby looked to Jaune's face, which had paled and fell, leaving a shell of the formerly happy boy, with the light in his eyes dying. He faded into yellow light, melting into the sun's rays, dissipating to leave a bloody blade in his place, held by the Grimm hunter, who had a smile on his blackened and Grimm coloured face.

"Noooo!" Ruby's eyes alight with fire, mourning Jaune and with the determination to avenge him. Ruby rushed at the speed of sound to meet the blade of her mortal enemy.

They entered into a duel, the carbon fibre and steel mesh of Crescent rose meeting the unknown metal of the greatsword. Ruby seemed to shimmer silver as her rose spun, blocking the heavier greatsword. Ruby's speed kept her in the battle against the stronger and older man, and her rage equalised his mindless fury, and Grimm augments.

But Ruby fought with the fury of two people, scythe spinning at speeds fast enough to cause a whirlwind, leaving scratches on both weapons.

 **Meanwhile; In Ariamis**

"So, you have returned. It seems you must take after your father if you have protected my daughter." The elder rose said, approving of the dead boy.

"You need to let me get back! She's in trouble!" Jaune panicked, worrying for the daughter of the woman in front of him.

"Jaune. Tell me what you want." Came the calm voice of summer, her voice beginning to sound caring, and her silver eyes looking down upon him.

"What?" Jaune asked, confused and shocked by her response.

"Your dreams and desires. What do you want to do with your life?" Summer asked, wondering what kept him running. Even the smallest spark can ignite hope, after all.

"I-I want to be a hunter, and help people. Why?" Jaune asked, his mind working at the question.

"In Lordran, you may not die. Many have visited me. They are worthy of return. Those that die unworthy or tainted will be purged. This is the way of Lordran. So tell me, what do you have hope for?" Summer's face hardened as she asked, as a memory pained her.

"I want to leave a better hope for the next generation. I hope I can do that. And protecting them seems a good start." Jaune said, resolute and prideful.

"Very well. Go on, Son of Arc. But keep my daughter safe. I hope I never have to see her again." The words faded from her tongue as Jaune looked in shock, and some sadness. His face became questioning again, his brow furrowed. "No parent should have to bury their child. You will make sure of it, Jaune. Good luck"

Jaune disappeared, leaving the red-clad woman alone.

"And Oum knows Tai won't do it."

 **Faunus settlements; Battlements**

The battle had raged on for what seemed like hours, with Ruby and the unknown hunter tiring, strikes becoming slower, and speed lowering. Ruby held the upper hand due to her unquenched need for vengeance, but the strange man continued to hold his ground, fatigue not affecting him as much as the small girl. Aura had begun to wane for the smaller girl, leaving her vulnerable.

Ruby began to falter slowly, every parry taking her strength and every attack half a second slower. Crescent rose bore the scars of the experienced huntsman, and the huntsman's weapon had begun to show marks and scuffs.

A small whirring could be heard from the huntsman, as he stepped back. Preparing for the transformation. Ruby rushed to stop the transformation, slicing at the hunter, who merely dodged the clumsy strike.

His weapon clicked loudly, finishing its transformation. It had warped into a one sided axe, simply using the sword blade as a shaft. It was a crude and old innovation, one a student of Remnant had used to strike down his enemy, before it became his symbiotic partner.

The axe head swung at Ruby, who nimbly evaded the strike, and slashed back with a counter. It was stopped at shoulder height, and caused a sight clang which resonated. Crescent rose caught on the axe, tangling the weapons together inconveniently. A small battle of strength had begun, as Ruby pushed the entangled weapons down, while the stronger huntsman pushed towards Ruby, using his superior strength to continue the battle. Slowly, the weapon began to sink as Ruby began to retreat slowly, and the huntsman loomed over her. Suddenly, a shot rang out from crescent rose, slinging a bullet through the stomach of the Grimm symbiote, leaving a large hole through the man and disarming both of the warriors. Blood and Grimm essence pooled in a putrid pile at his feet, seeping from the wound. The Grimm parasite cringed back, writhing to escape the tender wound and the pain. Crescent rose and the stranger's greatsword-axe clattered into a pile, adorning the floor of the narrow corridor. More worryingly to Ruby, the wounded warrior was standing tall, despite the sniper bullet sized hole in his stomach. But it had begun to shrink, the Grimm parasite encasing the wound and seeming to fill it, stopping the blood loss. The hunter seemed sluggish, but still barrelled towards Ruby at alarming speeds considering the time they had spent battling, along with the supposedly lethal wound. The hunter decided to engage Ruby in melee combat, bringing his fists to face Ruby, and blocking the way to the weapons, standing in his original position. Ruby began to edge forward, closing the distance slowly, trying to reach her weapon. Her only hope at defeating this enemy.

The man knew this, and closed in, punching to break Ruby's fragile guard and shattering her aura. She fell back, landing harshly on the hard ground, pain jolting up her spine. She looked up, seeing the grimm covered face of her enemy, eyes glowing an unearthly red, despite the black essence coating his skin. His face contorted, mere millimetres from Ruby's own, using all of its effort to speak.

"You… will become… one of us" It croaked out, through a pained and broken voice, as if dying slowly already, despite the symbiote slowly repairing his body. "Die…"

The man raised his fist, standing dominant over Ruby, their weapons discarded in a tangled pile behind the hunter. With a savage blow, a painful assault began, punches raining from the monster's fists. Ruby began to bleed heavily, her nose and face gaining multiple cuts and scars, with blood starting to cover the fist of her assaulter.

Ruby heard loud footfalls above her, and opened her eyes to see who had come for her. Her prayers were answered as Jaune rushed towards her, swinging wildly at the malevolent man. His blade became enwreathed in light, numerous rage filled strikes carving small but deep cuts into the foul flesh of the man. A finishing blow came as the hunter retreated, Jaune slashing across the neck of the man, ending its life. The parasite slowly stopped writhing, leaving a hollow shell of the dead man.

Man was the wrong term, now that they were able to inspect the young but tainted warrior. He could only have been in his thirties, but had been infested, strengthening and rejuvenating his body, and releasing his signs of aging. Even in death, his skin and bone had small blemishes of Grimm bone plates and parasitic remains. A terrible testament to what the warrior had become.

"Jaune…. Thanks" Came from Ruby, rising from the dusty ground. She walked over, coming into the small corridor. "Do you mind if I have some of the aura flask?"

"Sure Ruby, you need it." Came Jaune's caring response. Ruby drank the remaining contents of the flask, her aura reforming and healing her small wounds. The blood still coated her face, leaving a strange sight for Jaune "Ruby, you should probably wipe off that blood"

"Do you have any wipes, or maybe a towel in the infinite box thing?" Ruby asked, neutral and hopeful.

"Bottomless box. And no, I didn't think I would need them. Sorry" Came Jaune's disappointed response. Ruby began to wipe her face using her sleeve, only smearing the blood further. "Ruby, hold still."

Jaune used his sleeve to gently wipe Ruby's face, removing the blood delicately. His sleeve became red coated, and slightly wet. Jaune stepped back, moving away from the awkward moment. Ruby laughed shyly, a symbol of thanks. "Thank you Jaune. Let's go see what it was guarding."

They walked towards the pile of weapons first, Ruby retrieving her rose, and Jaune inspecting the greatsword axe.

 **The Remnants**

 **Greatsword/Hand axe**

 **"** **When the hero sacrifices himself to save the day, he never knows if his effort was worth it. He never gets to see the shattered moon. And sometimes, they find out they aren't a hero at all, but fodder in another's story."**

 **This crude but effective weapon belonged to a member of team Anubis, who came to Lordran in its first cycle, but where lost by those who came with them, leaving them to rot into their adult life in the land of lords. After all, who remembers the ones who died in the line of duty without mention?**

 **Forged from titanite by a long forgotten smith.**

 **Belonged to Cleopatra Noxis of team ANBS.**

"Jaune, look what I found" Ruby's voice came, distracting Jaune. He looked up to see the small girl holding a pendant, with a small blue gemstone inside, which radiated small amounts of cold. "Look"

 **Small Tear of Eden**

 **Carved by Ivory Schnee, during her time in Lordran. The blue gems were found by her future husband, who defended her on her journey. This was carved from the smallest gem, and has weak defensive properties.**

 **5% increase to defense when aura is low or shattered.**

"Ruby, do you want to wear it?" Jaune asked, allowing ruby to wear the beautiful piece of jewellery.

"Really? Thanks Jaune." Ruby smiled, giving Jaune the pendant and turning around, to let Jaune put on the necklace. She lifted her hair slightly, showing the nape of her neck. Jaune placed the necklace on her dexterously. "How does it look" she turned, showing the necklace, falling from her neck to touch the edge of her hood.

"It's Uhhhh very pretty?" Jaune asked nervously, wondering what to say.

"Thanks Jaune, but let's go. Remember to be careful. We don't have any of the estus left. Cardin's gift can only take us so far."

 **(A/N: So, we are back. Now that the holidays are in, more updates are likely, and will be sooner. Leave a like or review, and PM me to contact me. And don't forget that ideas will be used from you. Just talk to me with what you want. It's not just me, it's all of us… Goddamn that was cheesy.)**


	15. Zodiarchy

**Grimm souls; Paragons chapter 15**

 **(A/N: Welcome back. More uploads inbound, and the first major conflict since the asylum demon. Unfortunately, the boss is the worst one ever, which takes no skill to beat, and can be done by running back and forth, and falling. Damn. But at least they can be resourceful. Maybe.**

 **Got my first beta request from ventusx24 today, you guys should go read the dragon of wrath and pain, I have! I sat reading it with a nice Nordic berry cider, and had a wonderful time.**

 **Special thanks to patiphat1998 for his help, and his moral support. Go you buddy!)**

 **Faunus settlement: Great tower entrance.**

The duo slowly climbed stairs leading into the tower, passing a small hole in the wall. The scenery was pretty, but marred by the crumbling masonry surrounding them. "Jaune, what happens when you die?" Ruby questioned, wondering about his immortality.

Jaune remembered the promise he made to Summer, and honoured it wisely. "Uhhhh, it hurts, and then I come back near a bonfire. Why?" Jaune edged, hoping for a response.

"Beca— Watch it!" Ruby screamed, seeing a hollow pushing a barrel down the stairs. It rolled quickly, picking up speed and further crumbling the masonry. The barrel was held together by some combination of tough ropes and reinforced wood, not breaking under the pressure and damage.

"Run!" Jaune yelled, becoming alert and sprinting down the stairs, tripping as he turned, falling into a pile on the steps beneath him. Ruby readied herself, her knuckles whitening on her scythe as she narrowed her eyes. She precisely pulled back her scythe, years of training dedicated to this moment. The slash knocked the barrel sideways, slicing deep into it at the same time. The barrel creaked and shuddered, squeezing through the small hole, and shattered on the outcrops below, sending rubble and wood raining down upon the forest coated area below. With the obstacle destroyed, the hollow rushed down the stairs, bounding towards Ruby. It was an easy strike, with it running directly to its death. Ruby sliced once at neck height, decapitating the hollow, but also pushing it over the edge of the stone railing. She then turned to Jaune behind her.

Who still lay on the floor.

"Good job?" He asked, lifting himself from the stairs.

 **Meanwhile, Lower Faunus settlement;**

Blake slowly edged around the doors of open buildings, avoiding the hellish dogs in the street center. The smell of charring flesh and waste covered the street like a blanket, as a testament to the mistreatment of the Faunus. The dogs themselves were hulking beasts, though thankfully not infested by grimm like the other creatures she had encountered. Their skin was coated in blood and rot, clearly built up from the numerous victims they must have claimed. Some bone structure protruded from the large creatures, such as the facial plates bulging out, contorting the expressions of the monsters. Teeth jutted out, able to rip through any prey. Blake's instincts heightened, allowing her to think through every conceivable action. She silently crept further, nearing the end of the alley. Doors adorned each side of the wall, small and inconspicuous. The slight sound of the whistling wind echoed in the enclosed alley, reinforcing Blake's uneasy feeling of dread and anxiety. She slowed her pace as she past the doors, silence enshrouding her. Her own breaths was the only sound she heard consciously, but others were quietly congregating, distracting her. She reached a large doorway, covered by some unknown substance. Blake investigated, touching the murky wall, until it collapsed entirely, showing a horrific picture.

"Hello, my darling."

 **Faunus settlement, lower north tower**

"Why? Why so many stairs?" huffed a tiring Jaune, slowly ascending the stairs, slowing to the pace of a snail. Ruby continued at her pace, always two steps ahead, and showing no fatigue or tiredness. Her smaller legs bounded up each stair, every stride the same as the last, while Jaune slugged his way up the stairs, reaching the landing at last. Stairs led higher to the top, but were covered by the fallen ceiling and debris, blocking the path upwards. More barrels almost identical to the one the previous hollow had attempted to kill them with had been lain across the floor horizontally, as if ready to be rolled at another unsuspecting fool. Ruby strode over to them, looking closely. Small shimmers came from the edge of one of the props, catching Ruby's eye and luring her in.

"Hey Jaune, what is this?" Ruby asked, beckoning for Jaune's help. Jaune ambled over, standing beside Ruby idly. They leaned in together to look at the glittering object, hoping to find treasure. Instead, a small insect popped out, surprising both of them, and scuttling between the duo. It moved towards the white door, before running blindly into the wall. Now that it was in the open, the shining gemstone on its back was revealed. A black chunk of some metallic looking gem had solidified atop the insect, almost as if jammed in by someone. It had begun to spread, smaller outcrops being formed around the side. Jaune and Ruby stared in awe at the beautiful yet strange creature, admiring it. Unfortunately, the small animal stopped struggling, and began to dissipate.

"What's happening to it?" Ruby asked, moving closer to the fading creature, seeing it become nearly transparent.

"Is it dying?" Jaune asked, confused and rooted to the spot. He thought over the strange bug, unknowing of its use. It finally disappeared, sinking into the walls. "What WAS that?" Jaune asked, emphasising his sentence.

"I don't know. But Jaune, we need to find a way back. We NEED to find someone. We don't even know where we are." Ruby recalled, her survivalist instincts kicking in. She missed her team, and her family. Nothing would stop her. Not the grimm, not the hollows, and certainly not the strange doors floating in place of a frame.

Ruby led Jaune through, breaching the fog. Opposite from their current location was another identical tower, with another fog gate over the door. Other than this, there was a surreal landscape, so beautiful that it may have been painted rather than grown. Tall oaks reached from ground to the skies, thick greenery hiding their trunks. Leaves flew on the wind, marking the summer air with their scent. Some of the saplings had begun to turn to the autumn colours, a luscious amount of orange and vibrant red staining the horizon. In the distance, sounds of a peaceful river could be heard, slowly drifting along. The other side of the wall hid a large city, comparable to Vale. A large structure could be seen amid the fog, hulking from the unseen base to the hidden pinnacle. It was highly similar to the CCT in a way, the shade reminiscent of porcelain, with large plates nailed tightly to the sides, causing a square feeling to be applied to the circular tower. Around the main building, small houses and huts were crudely built, similar to the slums here in this settlement for the Faunus. Nearer the wall the dwellings began to spread further apart, as well as decrease in stability and quality. Rickety shacks lined the wall, probably filled with more Faunus.

As the sun shone through dense clouds, rays fell upon the pair, walking slowly down the bridge. Footsteps were the only sound heard, until a small click came from an unknown location. Ruby prepared, scanning the narrow bridge. Jaune merely tensed, ready for action. His shield risen to his chest, and his sword at the ready. The two young warriors stood tense, waiting for a sound. The readied bolt from a crossbow flew, the arrow whistling through the air towards the prepared duo. Ruby reacted first, dodging the projectile, before firing back and ending the hollow's life. Jaune was lucky enough to be out of the arrow's path, before it became lodged into the solid concrete. Ruby fired another shot, ramming into the shoulder of another hollow, forcing it back, but not ending its life.

"I'll go kill it. You go on ahead" Said Ruby, eager to continue. She eagerly used her semblance to begin a run towards a small and hidden ladder on the side of the tower, which she hastily climbed like a squirrel.

Jaune turned to walk, his heavy and loud feet echoing from the masonry beneath him. However, the sound got louder as Jaune stopped inquisitively. The golden haired boy stood anxiously, waiting to find the source of the movement.

A hulking beast burst from within the tower before him, shattering the stone, brick and mortar everywhere in its rampaging path. The monster stopped before trampling Jaune inspecting its prey.

 **Bestiary: Devilhorn; Usurper of Capricorn.**

 **"** **The stars will one day align. And on that day, I dread even the kingdoms combined cannot stop them." -Qrow Branwen**

 **The Astral beasts are renown throughout the lands, both feared and revered. They form a council of beasts known as the Zodiarchy, who are each strengthened in their respective star cycle. These creatures lurked in the first age of fire, when humans were new to the lands of Remnant and Lordran. However, during the corruption of Lordran, some of these beasts were tainted by the Grimm that poured from the abyss. The Mother goat was enwreathed by this wave, and gave its life to defend its companions, similar to its nature. The beast of Capricorn was a large goat, known for its teamwork and contribution, until its final breath among the living.**

 **The Devilhorn is a large creature, standing at nearly 10 feet tall. The fur growing from its skin, along with much else, has been corrupted by its recent transformation, causing the skin to grow sharp and tough, similar to the needles of a hedgehog. Grimm plates have also begun to defend the creature, covering many festering wounds and battle scars. The most notable changes to its anatomy is the removal of the jaw of the large Zodiarch, which has left a gaping maw and sinewy muscle uncontained, as well as allowing spit to flow freely from the wound.**

 **Other recent changes include the ability to set its own breath aflame, an adaptation of the beast's ability to confuse its enemies with projectile spit and gust, now tainted by the chaos flame, permitting the goat to spew undying flame from its mouth and nose, melting almost anything created, even able to scorch the great Archtrees. Large and enamelled hooves and horns have been reinforced by layers of Grimm bone plates and congealed blood, making them nigh untouchable, rivalling the other Astral beasts.**

 **Height: 10ft**

 **Weight: 50 Stone**

 **Appearance: Large grimm-infested Goat with straight, blood covered horns. Fully cocooned with tough plate and hide, as well as strong fur. Missing jaw, but has enlarged calves, shoulders and hamstrings. Reinforced hooves are coloured jet black. Black charred muscle tissue hangs from the mouth and throat. Red eyes, black fur, plated white.**

"Jaune!"

 **Meanwhile; Remnant, SDC HQ.**

"Sir, welcome home. Would you like me to alert the household?" A maid asked, welcoming the man back to his abode.

"No. You are dismissed." The male spoke, ignoring the woman's presence. He continued with his head up but his eyes down, thinking on his situation. His two daughters, going to Lordran.

Adverse to what he may lead people to believe, he knew of Lordran. He knew of the age of fire and the adventure and fate of team ANBS. He knew of team STRQ. And he knew of what resided there. He knew because he had seen it. And he had seen much worse….

His thoughts were ended as he walked through the door to his solar, sighing in relief. The elder Schnee strolled to his chair, sitting comfortably. He closed his eye momentarily picturing his beautiful daughters, remembering every detail. "Please. Don't end up like her." Came from the Schnee's mouth unconsciously, murmured beneath his breath.

"Come with me, and your daughters might not." Came as a response in an alluring female tone. Willow looked up, blue eyes staring furiously, but with weariness showing.

"Who are you? How did you get past my guard?" And how do you know of my daughters and Ivory?" Willow spoke with his years of trained politics behind him, and the rage of a threatened father. His eyes analysed every weakness.

"I am Cinder Fall. I could take you to them. Would you like to see them again?" She spoke simply, avoiding any hidden meaning. Her eyes burned amber, devious and cunning hidden deep. Contrasting this, her face contorted into a sweet smile, foreign and unusual to her common features.

"Yes. Take me back."

 **Meanwhile, Unknown location:**

 **"** **Master, the crow has been sighted with a Schnee in Lordran. The scouts have been unresponsive lately, though. It seems he has become more aware of our presence." Came the call of an unnamed minion from the darkness.**

 **"** **Cease following him. He has gained skill, but continues to elude us. We must allow him to believe we are hidden. He cannot breach our positions without us knowing." The Grimm queen ordered, paying little attention to the minion as she stared at the flame before her. The flame, an inanimate object she had fought for an eternity. And for an eternity, it had driven her back, torturing everything she had fought for.**

 **Another voice echoed from the darkness "There is other news…"**

 **Anger filled the voice of the queen, as she raged at the helpless fool. "SPEAK YOU IMPUDENT WORM!"**

 **A hurried reply emanated from the frightened underling. "The Arc is here. The Eradicator."**

 **Darkness gathered quickly around the Queen, immediately warping reality itself around her. Blackness enwreathed the entire Kiln, so dark that even the burning green eyes of the acolytes couldn't be seen by the common eye. The furystorm died down slowly, small amounts of light returning to the large ashen kiln. The small pillars of Grimm shards were gathered near to the fire, in a circular arrangement. As the darkness faded, a small figure lay before the flame, curled into a ball. It gradually rose, showing its form.**

 **The creature was pure darkness, the absence of light developing the body of the unknown creature. It shimmered, eerie and unnerving to all but the queen. Colour finally exhibited itself on the unknown, through the medium of strange pink eyes, staring into the night.**

 **"** **Hello, Mother."**

 **(A/N: Well, thanks to CoolHandJaune [sorry for not telling you about the real idea, no spoilers] for the insane amount of support, and thank you to Ventusx24 for allowing me to beta for him. Anyway, this is some more of the Chinese mythology coming in, and I know that it is the year of the goat now, but I am going to change that, since I needed the goat to be first for… reasons. In other news, the plot of one of my favourite things has come in. The Astra beasts were one of my favourite secrets in writing this, and even Kinzarks didn't get hints on this. I love this. Please give me any and all feedback. Adieu!)**


	16. The light we lost

**Grimm souls: Chapter 16:**

 **(Welcome back, Time for more chapters. This is written immediately after the last chapter, so I have not yet read the feedback, if there is any. I will address them at the end.**

 **Wonderful news, for those looking for even more dark souls/RWBY, there is a new fic coming to you! I am currently hoping to beta read a fic from BlueBlender, and am intrigued to read it myself. Please hop over to his fic once you have read mine, I'm sure he appreciates it as much as I do my fans)**

 **Boss music: Set fire to the rain (instrumental), Adele**

Jaune's legs burned metaphorically as he reached the rusted and creaking ladder, Lactic acid flowing into every muscle, blood rushing through his veins. Crocea Mors was sheathed at his hip, allowing him to sprint. His surroundings blurred while he sped up, turning into a sea of green and blue on the horizon. Behind him the demonic creature took large strides, not rushing but steadily catching up to him. The ladder grew closer and closer, until he transitioned to climbing as he scrambled up it, clawing himself towards Ruby, who was shelling the Astral with high calibre bullets. They ricocheted randomly, merely scratching the hide and plates while leaving various scars and blemishes, angering it more than anything. The Zodiarch's anger built as the small projectiles irritated it, chipping slowly into the thick armor surrounding and covering its face.

Jaune breathed heavily and deeply, desperately pulling himself to his feet. The floor below him was cold and harsh, with bodies of the previously killed hollows adorning it, their bodies creating small obstacles, but they seemed to move at the slightest touch. As Jaune stood and recovered, his eyes focused on the Devilhorn, scrutinising the threat. His mind registered the flames collecting at its muzzle, the gigantic beast reared back, readying itself to release a barrage of fire. Jaune acted on impulse alone, every thought enhanced and every reaction split second. He raced to Ruby, tightly embracing her and dragging her down to the cold brickwork. Ruby looked up from the floor, surprised and hurt. "Why di-?!"

Ruby was interrupted by an endless sea of flame spurted from the Devilhorn, so intense that it began to melt the nearest supports, weakening the structure of the wall. Charred stone and melted brick filled the nostrils of both of the teens, while the fire raged on, scorching the granite tower, which had begun to slowly degrade and erode under the effects of the fire, which still lingered in small patches along the bridge and up the tower. As the inferno neared its end, Jaune and Ruby huddled together tightly, flinching from the extreme heat. Their Auras lessened the burning, and protected them from some harm but took the impact, weakening under the strain. Small white light shielded them, blocking the roaring flames and lessening the sweltering heat.

After a short period, the flames subsided, leaving melted piles of dust, charred mortar and unknown liquids to grace the top of the wall. The Devilhorn admired its work, steadying itself and recovering its breath from the spray of hellfire it had released. Its own heavy hooves crumbled the damaged stone below, creating an uneven and awkward surface for all who would attempt to stand on it. An indentation on the center of the bridge showed the pure devastation brought by the Astral, with a large gap showing the dwindling strength of the bridge. Pure heat had melted the supporting columns, and erosion over time had created soft spots in the now singed and crumbling stone. The quaking feeling engrossed both the duo of heroes and the Astral, as the bridge started to weaken.

"Jaune, grab the sword!" Ruby commanded as they rose from the floor, their aura returning, weakened but still solidified.

Jaune stood, confused at the strange order. His sword was at his hip, as he had it sheathed when he ran to the ladder. Unless… The blond pulled out the previously acquired greatsword, in its original form. Remnants was a heavier sword than Crocea Mors, leaving Jaune grunting from the exertion. The great goat stood below them, staring up at the tower, ready to destroy it.

"Jump!" Ruby screamed, unleashing crescent rose to its full length. The sound of scraping metal clashed against the roaring of the frustrated Grimm. The girl in crimson sprinted to the ledge, and jumped without a thought, disappearing to the unknown below. Jaune heaved the sword up, forcing himself forwards, gaining speed towards the ledge. The greatsword dragged the golden haired boy down, falling over the ledge at high speed, the sword plunging down.

Remnant cut deep through the head of the Grimm, embedding itself inside the head of the Zodiarch. Blood spewed from the wound, with Grimm essence flowing freely around the sword, and coating the exposed flesh. The greatsword had been scarred by the impact, with small chips coming from the impact, blood spattered across the handle and crossgaurd.

"Jaune? Jaune jump down!" Ruby yelled, standing below the Astral, who was currently bleating and crying, attempting to unseat the passenger on its neck. She readied her scythe, and vanished beneath the Devilhorn, accompanied by more bleating and violent slashing.

Ruby hacked at the exposed underbelly of the Grimm, the thick hide giving way under the sharpened blade and pressure. Enraged, the Zodiarch reared, kicking down the tower and unseating Jaune, who landed heavily but safely halfway down the bridge. The tower fell in slow motion to Ruby, mortar and cement flung towards the sky. The creature continued its rampage, forcing itself to fight the small threats, until suddenly a shuddering quake interrupted the battle. Where the tower had stood collapsed, and where the fog wall had stood lay a ruin, with the wall falling to pieces, crumbling down the sides into the abandoned village below. The cracks progressively grew, swallowing the entire bridge. Chunks and stones fell together, the walls falling down, leaving small stumps in its wake. The bridge itself was unrecognisable, large slabs cut from the top and sides, leaving a shortened remain of the original bridge.

"RUN!" Jaune screamed, more girly than he would like, despite the life threatening demon and the falling bridge before him. Cracks appeared beneath Ruby and the Devilhorn as they both realised the issue, and ran for their lives. Ruby quickly sped ahead, catching up with and overtaking Jaune, who continued at a sprint. The great beast behind them lowered its head and charged, attempting to catch the speeding duo, with no great success. The charge of the Astral weakened the bridge more and more, leading cracks up the entire bridge, reaching the tower ahead.

Ruby knew what to do. Her training had led to this. Qrow and her dad had taught her to always be ready. Know your surroundings, and use them. Crescent rose unclipped and unsheathed almost instantaneously, her dexterous hands trained with years of practise. She steadied it slowly, her aim coming to rest. The trigger slightly squeezed, pressure applied slowly to prime the attack. Waiting for a perfect moment….

The sound of cracking concrete and falling debris was briefly accompanied by the ring of many high calibre bullets shattering the wall's pathway. The bullets dug through the carefully laid bricks, before final destroying the fragile remains of the devastated structure. The wall fell before Ruby and Jaune, the Astral not reaching a safe ledge.

The polluted fiend slid, losing its footing under the deteriorating bridge. Small chunks of rock accompanied it on its fall, layering it slightly in dust and mortar. The bridge fell further as the Zodiarch scraped down the side, carving deeper cracks to the central structure. The wall shock both visibly and noticeably, unsteadying the pair at the top, safely backed up to the second tower, the fog wall gone now that the first of Astra had fallen from the bridge, ending its corruption.

 **End boss music**

"ah…. Huh….. ah… Tha-… Thank god…. We made." Jaune stuttered out, slumped on the stairs haphazardly. He sighed back in relief, looking up to the shining sun, casting its rays of light uncaringly down, unknowing of the actions and influence of those below it.

Ruby stood, slightly out of breath and aura, but still capable. "Come on Jaune, we need to find a bonfire." Ruby walked past the tired boy, up the stairs and through the small room, nearly a copy of the one on the other tower, but missing the stairs leading up and down. Stone was carved as a wall, but uneven cracks decorated the wall, presumably from the years of decay and the more recent impact from the Grimm infected creature. Ruby disregarded this as she passed through, ignoring the boxes and barrels lining the corners, and the stone awnings that teetered on the edge of the door frames. Jaune followed behind, weary but aware, but thankful for Ruby's assistance, and their trusting partnership. He slowly followed, stepping through the opposite door, and continuing on the metaphorical tail of the girl in front of him. His mind strangely leaped into a debate as to which faunus they would be if they were able to be.

'I mean, I guess I would be a wolf Faunus. I would love the fur and the running.' The voice in Jaune's head resonated, not quite escaping his lips. 'Ruby could be a ladybug. Suits the red and black. I wonder if she would grow wings?' His mind questioned.

An abrupt impact brought him out of his thought, and back to the real world as he pushed into Ruby, completely ignorant of his surroundings.

"Why did you…. Stop" Jaune slurred, looking down the nearby stairs which Ruby stood atop of.

Another golden haired teen stood at the bottom of the steps, looking off into the distance. She forlornly stared, her arm propping up her head, with her other concealed, the sleeve hanging unsupported. Her golden mane waved slightly on the wind, fraying carelessly. It clearly hadn't been cared for well, with mud and blood caked in the splitting ends. The girl seemed in a world of her own as she looked into the sky, as if staring into the sun itself.

"Yang!"

 **(A/N: Hi all, and thanks to you all that have left such inspiring feedback. You know who you are. For those wondering, uploads are more consistent for maybe another week or so. Preseason training starts next week, and I am currently beta-ing for two authors. Sorry if you wish to only read this, but I help people who do this as well. Please leave feedback, it really does mean a lot to me, and I do answer all of the ones I get, unless you are not logged in. Besides my rambling, I will bid you adieu, and see you next time.**

 **After note: I am aware that I am no will Shakespeare, but I ask you, did William Shakespeare ever write modern fiction? I think not. In summary, my literature will never be perfect, but it is a work in process. Deal with it. (Insert shades here)**


	17. Dreams of darkness

**Grimm souls; Paragons chapter 17**

 **(A/N: Hello beautiful people, and welcome back. Since I have had a bad week, this may be a strange one. Anyway, my life isn't interesting, while yours are, so maybe in the after A/N? (Explains my lack of contact and stuff.)**

 **Today we get to explore Yang's damaged Psyche and how she will be debilitated by her injury, as well as some interesting dialogue between Yang and Jaune, and even a new thing.)**

"YANG!" Came the twin calls of Ruby and Jaune, rushing toward the downtrodden girl. She turned, staring down the pair, a blank and emotionless expression besmirching her normally radiant face.

Her arm had been severed. Ruby noticed she had not been able to repair it, nor have it replaced. She had been sent into a deadly land, with only one arm. She had not fully recovered, and it showed clearly. Her vibrant attitude had faded, leaving a hollow shell. Her eyelids drooped, showing her lack of sleep, along with her weariness. The normally well-kept hair was matted, as they had seen from behind, but mud and blood had worked their way to her forehead too, caking it in a strange mesh of the substances. Her commonly worn smile was replaced by a harsh yet blank stare, almost as if her joy had been taken from her. Ember Celica's second bracelet was missing, along with the arm, presumably scrapped, but definitely not in use. The first was fastened on, but had clearly been in use. The bracer had worn, fibres frayed slightly. Even her outfit had been torn and ripped, leaving small patches of grey flitting slightly on the wind. Purple eyes rested momentarily on blue and silver pairs.

"Ruby….. Jaune…." Yang launched into a hug, her face lighting up as she slammed into Ruby and Jaune, embracing Ruby's head and Jaune's chest. She pressed herself against Ruby's hair, nestling into the hug as if she depended on it. Jaune's armor tightened around his chest as she squeezed it, forcing him to lean out from the hug.

"Uh, Yang?" Jaune questioned, leaning back awkwardly from the hug, his armor making him uncomfortable. "Yang?"

She quickly let go, stepping back. "You're OK! Oh thank Oum!" Yang's relief was almost tangible, as her little sister stood before her, unharmed. "How did you two get here? Do you know anything about this place?" Her hair continued to drift on the breeze, despite the small amount of wind being cool and refreshing.

"I was in central vale, when I just appeared here in a cell. I think I was knocked out." The boy responded. "Then we jumped into some strange portal that brought us to a shrine." Jaune said, repeating the fate he had suffered to the older girl.

"I just ended up here, dropped into the cells with Jaune after the tower incident." Ruby stated, seeming awfully casual about her possible kidnapping.

"But what happened? Qrow only stopped by for a minute as I went into medical care. He said that… that… Oh Jaune…" Yang sympathised, her eyes widening at the fate of the Mistrali champion. She didn't know the details, but this must have surely crushed the previously clueless boy. Just as he had started to notice. Everything was torn from him, and his team had shattered, much like team RWBY itself. But to have her unreachable, and no hope of return... Images of Blake flashed through her mind, almost as if reacting to her thought. Taunting her. Out of her reach, yet hidden in every shadow.

"I'm fine." The discouraged boy said, his face hardening, his jaw visibly clenching. His eyes flashed his feelings, clearly he had been holding back his feelings, but now was not the time. "But what about you? Your arm Yang? How, and can it be fixed?" Jaune diverted the conversation, staring down Yang, with the occasional glance to the sagging sleeve of her right arm. Her outfit seemed almost as withered as herself, a grey jacket covering her from neck to midriff, and leggings with many pockets, though they seemed to be empty from the lower amount of mass. However, she seemed to be wearing some kind of strange plated shoes, luminescent and shining, despite its silver colour. It was as if she had donned the feet of a suit of armor made solely of sunlight.

"It can't. I don't want to talk about it. " She replied coldly, staring him down, and forcing him to feel inadequate. Yang sensed his discomfort, but felt no sorrow. The world had taken her arm. She was justified in her anger, at least in her mind. Jaune may not have been at fault, but she held everyone accountable. Except… "Ruby, I want you to have something. Here." She dove her hand into one of the many pockets, fumbling for a second before pulling out a shard of white. It shined as her armor did, light radiating from every angle. Shimmering in the slight heat, it seemed to be made of some crystal, but clouded white, probably from the overexposure to light, and some dirt. Or perhaps sunlight itself had been contained in the shard.

"Uhhhh… thanks? What is it?" The innocent young girl questioned, holding the unknown crystal with caution.

"I think it's supposed to summon people. Uncle Qrow gave it to me. Something about alternate dimensions and timelines being fuzzy. I was more worried about dad. He said he was going somewhere, but wouldn't tell me. He's been really secretive of late." Yang toiled, wondering on her father's behaviour. He seemed determined. A fire in his eyes that reminded her of him when he was younger.

"Thanks Yang. How do we use it?" A polite Jaune asked, still afraid to agitate the enigma in front of him.

"You already are. Just hold it and POOF. Signs appear, and if you touch them, they get summoned to help. If you think you are in trouble, just press it, and help will come. At least, that's the idea. So far I've only seen weak guys with no shirts on and strange masks, holding greatswords. They keep yelling 'strength build, Scrub!' weird…" She petered off, remembering the strange men who just rolled around nonsensically, until she simply punched them. Huh. Must have been mad, or a hollow. "Just don't touch the red ones, unless you are ready."

"O.K. do you want to come with us? We need to head to the church, then some other place, Then back to the shrine. Yatsuhashi and Sky were there. And that strange ice cream girl." Yang's fist tightened, then released as she heard of the girl who had defeated her. But she had someone to protect. So whether or not she liked it "I'll come with you." And Yang took one last, long look at the blazing sun, a beacon in this land. Such contrast to the shadowed girl in her thought "I just hope you can wait." She whispered to the figure in her mind, a plea to any power that would listen.

Climbing the stairs, Yang turned away from the ball of light in the sky, that she so loved. From the corner of her eye, she could have sworn she could see a flicker of darkness from the scorching ball in the sky.

 **"** **Ma'am, one of the Zodiarchs have fallen. Few remain, and if they should all die we will be unable to spread. I advise we hide some bene…"**

 **The acolyte was cut off with a sharp backhand, the impact resonated loudly, causing even the other, stronger slaves to flinch. The darkness slowly became denser around the queen, her rage manifested.**

 **"** **You will stop them. The Arc boy. The girl with him. Anyone they know or care about. I want them out of my dimension. Return victorious, or not at all." Came a voice. The voice was neither cold nor furious, but controlled malevolence, dripping with malice.**

 **"** **Ye—yes my queen." The shaking acolyte whimpered, cowardice in his voice. It slowly edged away, green eyes pulsing in fear.**

 **A snake slowly rose from his robe, enwreathing him as he calmly scrambled away from the kiln. The Grimm woman smirked at his fear, happy to see her "loyal" subject leave.**

 **"** **What news?" spoke the Monarch, requesting her "loyal" subjects to come forward.**

 **The first to approach was her daughter of chaos, despite being new-born she stood courageously, not cowering. Her pink eyes glowed in happiness and spite mingling.**

 **"** **The elder arc is on his way to the Darkroot garden, while the Crow is on his way to the first bell. Cinder is still with the Schnee." The enigma spoke casually, as if they were simply insects to her.**

 **"** **Good. Go to the Remnant. Find Cinder's projects and resolve them. There may be a time when we need Beacon. Her pets still guard it, and the dragon still resides atop the tower. Deal with it."**

 **"** **Of course, mother." The hatred in her eyes shone, beautiful yet deadly. Slowly, she dissipated, leaving nothing but wisps in her place, which slowly dissipated.**

 **Darkness blocked the kiln, a sheer wall of the unknown.**

"Qrow, where are we?" Winter questioned, or more accurately, interrogated.

"We are in the cathedral. They aren't here. Let's see if they did go down to the ruins. Tai will know." Qrow spoke lazily, almost as if he was home, drinking from his fabled flask.

Winter spun in a blizzard, releasing her aura immediately to block the incoming threat. Walking through the front entrance had left them exposed to an ambush. Three knights stood before them, hollowed clearly from first sight. Large metal shields pulled down the knights, but they retained their grips on the small weapons they held the weighty plates. The silvery rapier dug deep into the neck of the assaulting one, fading the lights from its eyes in seconds. A slow squelch could be heard as she removed it, the white imbuement releasing latent aura.

Qrow simply continued walking, before transitioning to a roll through the strike of the nearest knight. A small click could be heard before a bullet entered and exited the head of the hollow, who lay dead, and headless. The metal helmet clattered loudly, but neither hunter heard it. The final ambusher fought bravely, deflecting strikes from Winter, despite her training and finesse. Qrow evened the odds from behind, kicking the hollow to open its guard, allowing Winter to skewer another neck. Silence rained once again.

"Take me there." Came the cold voice of the Schnee, stern and commanding.

"Oooh pretty…" the happy voice exclaimed, the owner's face merely centimetres from the glowing flower. The slight pink light permeated the evening's lack of light, illuminating her face. The boy behind her shuffled quietly, assessing the area for threats.

"Nora, we need to go back. We'll be surrounded" The calm voice came, at peace but not lazily.

"Fine…." Came a defocused reply, while Nora continued to stare at the flower. She felt a strange allegiance to it, and her mind seemed hazy. As if she was in a dream. She was truly relaxed. The flower seemed to entrance her.

A rustle from behind startled Ren, the barrels of the Stormflower pointed into forehead of the strange creature. It was clearly female, feminine and beautiful. It reached his height, and stood right before him, seemingly unthreatened, despite the jaded weapons at her head. She was covered by nature itself, as if flowers and leaves had simply melded to her body. Her skin had been shaded a light green, but looked dark and dreary under the evening light. He had never seen a male one, and assumed they didn't exist, since his village elders had never seen one, or told him so. Ren remembered them from his homeland. He had fought one once before. A nymph, who lured her victims. And while he knew they were dangerous, he felt as if danger surrounded him. The forest itself had turned into a deadly habitat, his head blurred and his weapons shook. The flowery scent that had once filled his nostrils had turned sour, almost as if it was poisonous. His fingers tightened on the triggers, ready to kill the offending creature.

 **Nymph of Darkroot:**

 **"** **Nature. We forget that we are all just puppets on her beautiful stage, in a show that lasts forevermore." – Taiyang Xiao long**

 **Habitat: Darkroot garden**

 **Height: Varied**

 **Weight: Varied**

 **Gender: [REDACTED]**

 **Aggression: [REDACTED]**

 **The Nymphos are a strong race that were born from the birth of the great souls, which were bequeathed to those who fought a great battle in the kiln, at the rebirth of the worlds. Little has changed, but the nymphs and their habitat has evolved, allowing them to grow strong under the life of nature. Souls flurry in their natural state, and nature collects them, transforming them into fuel for the machine that is nature. However, it is known that the nymphs are but a dream. An illusion. A spectre. The ravings of madmen and prophets of destruction. What can be seen by one man is not echoed, but altered in another's mind. The Nymphs can reshape both themselves and its surroundings, but are powerless outside of nature. Mental clarity is the only defense against the nymphs, and those without it are overshadowed and lost. Reports indicate many people are lost within the forests of Lordran and Remnant, but none are ever found.**

 **[REDACTED]**

"I wouldn't, if I were you, Ren."

The voice stopped Ren's heart, his knuckles whitening, fingers squeezing the triggers to Stormflower. His body and mind surged at the slightest movements, fear and adrenaline controlling him. The magenta eyes scanning the area in seconds, assessing everything.

Nora's voice.

He couldn't see her, and he knew it was an illusion. But hate flowed for seconds, forcing him to snarl. They would have to go through him to touch her, no matter how hard she would try to follow the same code of honour.

"You know she is fine, yet you still worry. You are weaker than we thought, Ren" The same voice said, coming from the Nymph in front of him. Her green skin rustled as a burst of wind came, pushing Ren's hair slightly to the side. "Nevertheless, we desire no conflict. Not here. Take your…. Friend and leave here. If you return, there will be no mercy." The Nymph warned, her beautiful face fading into a deadly mask of hatred. "Remember, we know what you are. She isn't safe, even if she doesn't know it."

And with that, the leaves simply swirled, masking her escape. The forest that was so engrossed in a beauteous glow had become dark, a ghastly habitat for the unknown. Nora sat by the flower, frozen in the same position she had been before he heard the voice.

"Nora. It's time to leave. Now." Ren's stern voice echoed, the trees dropping green leaves around them, the scent of pollen turning sickeningly sweet.

"Fine…." Nora whined, before jumping up and touching Ren's nose. "Boop."

 **(A/N: Anyway, sorry this chapter is late. I was in hospital.**

 **Long story short, I was in the sun without sun lotion. For a long time. How long you ask? A very long time. Long enough to be sent to the hospital with mild burns, related to dehydration and radiation damage. I couldn't walk for three days, and it is incredibly painful to move. Yay. Sleep is nearly impossible, and I can hardly stand. Sucks to be me. How are you guys?**

 **Also, totally an excuse, but this is why I haven't uploaded for a while, and why there may be some mistakes.**

 **I'm not exactly able to type for a long time, so just question me in the PM's and be sure to say hi to everyone in the reviews. Also, to whoever is still reading… Well done, my friends.)**


	18. Dreams of darkness part 2

**Grimm souls; Paragons Chapter 18**

 **(A/N: Hello all, and welcome back! I wanna talk some knowledge on to you quickly!**

 **I wanna say I am thankful for those loyal fans, (and disloyal too, if any exist?) that support me. But the reason I am not posting numbers and celebrating is that no one is a number. You 10,000 people who have viewed me are not the simple 1 number. All of you read something different, and a different world I made for you. So, I am thankful, but I am not worshipping numbers. Tell me what you think in reviews, rather than liking.**

 **In other news, if you do want praising, answers or other stuff, leave me a review as I respond to all of them!**

 **Shoutout of the week to: GhostHornet, for leaving his/her first review. And for being too smart for his/her own good. Damn kaleidoscopes!)**

Yang slowly followed behind the duo as they walked through the archway briskly, passing a door on their right, but not fully noting it. From the archway life seemed to brighten, with a long bridge before them, no edges or walls to enclose the darkness. Light poured from the sun, heating up the day and coating their faces in a bright glow, almost reviving their deadened and overworked senses. Marble shined from patches in the floor, reflecting the sun but leaving the surface hot to the touch. Light continued to bathe them as they stepped from beneath the archway, Yang shying away slightly from the ball of fire that had burned her retinas. Forests surrounded the bridge, and the devastation of the wall was evident from here, the left side of the bridge covered by small rocks that had been blown from the crumbling and falling wall.

The birds grew silent immediately as the sun blurred into darkness, and heartbeats were the only sound for miles. The trio looked up, facing the danger forewarned by the lack of sound. The dragon's roar came first, rumbling over hills unmentioned and the unpopulated city below, but nearly breaking the eardrums of those who did hear the thunderous sound. Second came the fire, the pleasant heat of the sun replaced by an inferno, rolling from the skies in a curtain of flame and pain. Ruby led the group, sprinting backwards to the stairs in a flurry of petals. Jaune and Yang followed, about equal despite their difference in training and physique. The scorching heat came down the bridge at breakneck pace, scorching the brick and concrete black and grey, the pearly white marble being ruined and transformed into blackened charcoal. Ruby's petals floated on the wind, before being devoured by the pure heat.

Ruby reached the stairs first, turning to see Jaune and Yang running from the fiery wall, aura shielding them from the intense burns. They stopped and turned together, the wall of flame petering out before reaching them, heatwaves washed over them, leaving a heated sensation in their skin. Small flames lingered across the bridge, leaving segments of burnt masonry and residual conflagration. Their eyes wandered up, looking to the dragon that had set the iconic path aflame. Upon second look, it would be more fitting to call the dragon a drake. It was a blood red creature, coated in a thick red hide and spikes, melded by congealed blood, unknown in origins. The drake was young, with its spikes still growing and an aggressive attitude and temper, but seemed to be calmly awaiting them for some reason. Glowing green eyes focused on them, watching every move. The drake could have been a statue if not for its bright colouring, unmoving but obvious against the stone and concrete behind it. A large gate sat below the drake, open and held so, but for some reason additionally held by the drake's tail, which it lazily hung from the edge of a wall to the gate.

"Soooooo…. Anyone got any ideas?" Yang asked, panting heavily and staring down the drake.

"There's got to be a way round, right?" Jaune sheepishly tried, looking around, finding only beautiful scenery and a drake.

"The door?" Ruby asked, questioning Jaune's intentions.

"Uhhhh Yeah! We can break it open."

"Go ahead Jaune, let's go." Ruby suggested, strolling to the door with Jaune, the drake agitatedly staring at the pair, beady green eyes narrowed. The dull thud of a sword hitting wood came, and no effect showed. The wooden door stood firm against the forged steel, and seemed impervious to the damage.

"Step aside Jaune, and let the master teach you." Yang's cocky voice mocked, winding back a whopping haymaker. Ember Celica primed as she punched, forcing her fist forwards at ridiculous speeds. "ARGGHH!" Yang's fist cracked against the door, a disturbing scream coming from the adolescent. She clutched her hand in extreme pain, the gloves and Ember Celica hiding her no doubt reddened fists. The door seemed unscathed, no markings or dents shown on its face, the clean and blank look still adorning it.

"Are you O.K?" Came the twin calls of Jaune and Ruby, both rushing to Yang's side. The golden haired teen stood, gritting her teeth but massaging her hand.

"I'm fine, let's just go. The only way is forward." Yang stated, pain receding slowly as her aura absorbed the shock. Yang's aura seemed to be strong and relatively undamaged, as she seemed to recover quickly, in contrast to Jaune and Ruby's depleted reserves.

Yang led the team, walking up the bridge's center towards the drake, which growled beneath its breath, fire spewing from its nostrils, but not being blown down the bridge. Elliptical eyes focused on Yang, staring her down. Without warning, the drake flapped down, landing in the middle of the bridge, rearing itself onto its legs, before falling back onto both wings and feet. The bolt of Ruby's sniper and Ember Celica ejecting a round could be heard, while the only acute sound from Jaune was the swishing of his blade from its scabbard. His shield raised silently, blocking his midriff. The drake inhaled, air pooling around its mouth. The trio readied themselves, finding any way to survive the blast surely incoming.

"On our right!" Ruby screeched, reacting first and throwing herself into the small hole, a set of stairs concealed within the hole. Yang followed quickly, the hole becoming extremely tight. Jaune rushed to fit, trying to get in.

"Yang move left. Ruby, can you move across?" Jaune tried to frantically move the sisters, who made varying degrees of effort to accommodate Jaune. He pushed and moved the sisters, attempting to hide behind the wall. The drake's attack reached a pinnacle, fire hurled downrange at the mostly concealed team, Jaune slightly sticking out. His shield in its scabbard and his sword in his sheath gleaming, he was a target.

"Yang!" Jaune yelled, scared of burning to death. "Yang! Yang move over!"

At the last second, Jaune pushed into Yang, his eyes closing and his body tensing. He felt his back light aflame, his low aura doing almost nothing to stop the pain and damage. He suddenly felt a sharp pain from his front, similar to the burning from his back. He opened his eyes to be face to face with an angry and red eyed Yang. He looked down to see his hand grasping a delicate area, and flinched. Yang wasn't gonna be happy…

With a final roar, the drake's fire stopped, and Jaune felt himself be launched across the width of the bridge, planted firmly against the wall opposite the hole. He sat in ash and ember, perhaps an omen that this place was not safe from fire. Yang and Ruby followed him from the hole, and faced down the drake as it stood before them. Jaune stood to match, but still remained low on aura, with Ruby not far behind. Yang's aura almost seemed to regenerate as her fiery hair and eyes returned to normal, despite the trio readying for combat. Yang still held an angry expression, daring Jaune to talk to her. "Let's toast this thing." Yang joked, her face still smoulderingly angry, her injured fist pulled back, Ember Celica primed. Crescent rose cracked the floor after Ruby planted it strongly. Jaune stood steadfast, simple but effective in his stance. The drake's patience snapped, viciously diving into combat. Ruby began letting rounds loose, sliding back slightly to provide ranged support from down the bridge. Birds flew from the branches of the trees below, the sound of gunfire had become common, yet still scared them from their nests, leaving the smaller birds to fend for themselves against a perceived threat. A single yellow bird flew from the nest slowly, venturing towards the gunfire sounds. The clanking of hardened hide on metal rang, echoing across the empty land. Jaune's shield deflected a tail whip, while Yang fired shot after shot, denting but not penetrating the thick hide. Ruby's higher calibre bullets did the same, not dealing serious damage.

"We need to get in close!" Ruby yelled, her breath becoming thin as she hefted her rose, charging into battle. Yang simply changed tactics, aiming for the wings rather than going into the melee.

A short scream interrupted the sisters in combat, Yang and Ruby looking to the pained boy. A misplaced block had resulted in the drake's sharpened tail skewering his leg, just above the ankle. Jaune faltered, his guard lowering and his body falling. Time seemed to slow, and the world around him blurred, whether it was due to blood loss or pain, he didn't know. He heard two cries, remembering his companions alongside him. Bright yellow hair seemed to shine, glimmering as it flittered nearer to him. Dulled red hair slashed angrily at the drake, holding it back from finishing him. It seemed out of character for Ruby, but Jaune's hazy mind and drastic blood loss had numbed his senses. Then, everything faded to black in a burst of pain. The last thing he saw was a small yellow bird perched on his finger as he lay, bleeding from his wounds.

"NOOO!" Yang screamed, centimetres from her blond friend, who had been so alive seconds ago. She had failed him. A distraught Yang slid to Jaune's lifeless corpse, Blood spewed down her arms, Jaune's lifeblood coating her. Her bare arms had become red, and so had her eyes. Sorrow and rage consumed her, aura ebbing from every orifice. Crimson eyes arose to stare down the dragon, promising the return to any pain it had dealt. Ruby continued to whittle away at the drake, hitting the tail and wings with arching slashes. The tail began to weaken, its bloodied spike drooping, almost falling from its body. Meanwhile, the raging berserker pooled her remaining aura, and attacked. Her ferocity was unmatched, and the untamed drake flinched. Ember Celica violently launched her up, reaching the drake's face. However, her trusty weapons were more than just boosters propelling her, but boosters propelling her fists, which brutally battered the drake's glowing green eyes, peppering them with shells and fists. Pain showed across its face, roaring in defiance.

It roared louder, however, when Ruby removed what remained of its tail. Blood oozed, a disturbing tint of red and black, mingling as it fell slowly to the floor, matching the consistency of honey, almost as if leaking from a beehive. The dragon reared, forcing itself onto its back legs, before shaking Yang from its back. She landed in a rough pile, next to a horrified Ruby, crouching over Jaune's body. Whimpering cries came from the smaller girl, huddling once more over her dead comrade. The drake, clearly outmatched, flew from the sky, leaving the battle, without its tail between its legs. Tears began to well up in the older sister's eyes, and she wasn't entirely sure if it were over her distraught sister, her dead friend or her partner, who may be in a similar state.

 **Meanwhile, in Ariamis:**

"You have returned." Jaune awoke to face Summer Rose once more, lain across the floor. Summer's face remained still, but her eyes narrowed dangerously. A scythe was in her hands, but it was spectral and glimmering, not at all similar to her daughter's. He remembered wondering on her weapon, her strange shoulder pads seeming foreign. But it seemed she wielded a scythe of strange power. Almost as if completely conjured from the stars themselves. She wielded it carefully, as if it could cut upon the slightest touch.

"Yeah, I tried my-" Jaune began, rising to stand in the middle of the coliseum, facing the seemingly alert Rose.

"I wasn't talking to you, Arc. Return to Lordran, and comfort Ruby and Yang. And look for your father. I imagine he would look for his son, and I know he would come looking for my daughter." And with a flick of her wrist, the insipid boy was gone from her realm. "Now shade, your mother is more and more like her father every day." The shadowed figure stood across from her, pink eyes gleaming and shadow distorting in the light. No speech came, but her trademark style remained.

"Clearly she hasn't yet mastered her power. Perhaps I am not needed to teach your mother her rightful place." Summer cockily smirked, drawing back the spectral scythe. The smile of the shadow malformed into a cruel mask of evil for a split second, before returning to its happy emotion.

"Come then, shadow." Summer taunted, her scythe slashing through the air, slicing towards her target. The shaded daughter manifested a single hooked straight blade, the hilt seemingly built into her arm, and the cruel hook sharp and thick. Simple combat seemed to bore Summer, as she slashed and feinted quickly, each strike finding the defending blade of the shade. The unnamed enigma continued in a sloppy defense, each swing leaving more of her body open, until…

Summer's right hand erupted in silver light, seeping from her arm and enshrouding her hand, which rapidly grasped the shadow's throat. The silver light seemed to entrap the shade, weakening and choking it. "Weak and predictable. Tell her to try harder, daughter of dark. I welcome her challenge." And with that, the light consuming Summer's arm faded, and a gruelling snap of the shadow could be heard. Summer looked down at her hand, flexing and contorting her muscles. "I am rusty. Perhaps I should hunt." Summer spoke aloud to her own world, created inside her own head. Her white cloak billowed in the wind behind her, leaving white petals on the ground. "Or perhaps I should kill." Her face showed a small smile before she readied herself, black essence spewing from her left hand, but a small void lingered in her palm. As the essence hit the floor, small drops turned to large puddles, spawning Grimm beneath and around her. Satanic laughs could be heard as she sliced through the demons in her own mind.

 **(A/N: And we're done! This chapter took forever simply due to my hospitalisation, and the amount of work I put into other people's projects. I am sorry for this horrible time between chapters, and I try to maintain my fortnightly updates during breaks, but term starts this week, and school will demand my time once more. Thanks especially to CoolhandJaune and Ghosthornet, who have both given me concepts for enemies in the series. Not much more to say, other than leave a review and let me know what you think!)**


	19. Regret and repair

**Grimm souls; Paragons Chapter 19**

 **(A/N: I am back, and I am tired. I have been beta reading for two stories, writing two stories, and started college again. Yup.**

 ***Shameless self-promotion*: My new story "What little we've lost" Is out now. Go give it a look!**

 **Going to write now. Eminem is blaring at a thousand decibels, and I am awake purely on willpower and adrenaline. Questions in the reviews if you feel so inclined.)**

A shadow appeared into the kiln, its whole body seething in rage. Black mist oozed, leaving a small coat of unknown goo over the burnt bones in the kiln. The Grimm queen turned, her veiny white face in a resting state of malice.

"What news?" The queen spoke, addressing both her spiritual daughter and her subjects. "Come, and tell truth." The shade bowed naturally and the acolytes adhered, kneeling behind the shade.

"Ma'am, Summer knows of us, and she taunts you of your father. He could also manifest my kind." The shaded girl spoke, neutral but low in tone.

"Hmm…" Deep in thought, she closed her eyes, visualising inside her mind. "You will go back to my birthplace. Take Oolacile. Take it all, and find everything my father left. I cannot leave until the Arc and the Rose are dead, and even Ozpin could threaten me. Cinder must do her duty. The Zodiarchy will bend to my will. Acolytes, you will see to this. A whiff of disobedience will result in death. Swift and painful." The Queen commanded, staring down her court. "And I want updates on the younger Arc and Rose. When are they to be eliminated?"

A lone zealot, an evolved acolyte, stood courageously, facing the queen. "They are have fought a drake on the path to the Schnee fortress, but it remains closed. Cinder has defended her domain well, and has posted her flames as a territorial defence. She is currently with a Schnee, the elder one. You killed his wife, and he grieves. Lastly, a faunus warrior of Cinder's has come to Lordran, and has begun purging the Faunus settlements."

"Inconsequential. As long as he hates humans, he may live." The queen snarled, growing tired of the company. "Leave me. Remind my subjects why they serve me." The white-faced queen said, simply dismissing her court

 **Meanwhile, in Lordran**

Jaune had never quite seen a scene like this. Yang held his limp body in her arms, his own dry blood coating her arms, dying her brown jacket darkened red. Ruby stood with tears in her eyes, despite knowing Jaune was perfectly fine. Maybe.

"Yang." Came a teen voice, sounding inexperienced and unsure. Almost like the boy held within her arms. In fact—

 **POV: Yang Xiao long**

I do not believe what I see. There is no explanation. I am holding his dead body in my arms. Thus it cannot be. Yet he stands before me.

"Jaune!" Ruby's petals obscure my eyes as she rushes to hug him. She doesn't fade through him. He isn't a ghost.

Leaving his body to the dust, I know what I must do.

 **POV: Third person**

He wasn't expecting Ruby to use her semblance enhanced speed to blast into him. But he could take that. What scared him was the yellow missile that hit him like a drunken, angry Ursa. He stumbled under her strength, but felt warm at her hug.

"What the hell happened? We thought you died!" He could hear through Yang's sobs, and Ruby's snuffles muted by his hoodie fabric.

"I… I don't know." This allowed him to keep his promise to Summer, while he still told the truth, not knowing what had transpired in Ariamis. "When I die, I just appear back at the bonfire we rest at." He said it as if it was unimportant, yet at this time, it meant survival, safety and life itself. He supposed the panic had made him less sensitive. "We have to keep going. We have to ring the bells."

"You guys know about the bells too?" Yang questioned, wondering why everyone knew about some mystical bells.

"Yeah. Apparently they awaken something, and something about a path of undead" Ruby remembered some of her conversation with Sky about the bells, and the brief time in the shrine. Or perhaps she simply remembered the combat more than the simplistic shrine.

"Huh. I got told the same. Guess they must be important. Let's get em." And with that, they shrugged off the death of a treasured friend, leaving towards the open gate, with a small bonfire before a statue.

Yang and Ruby turned in panic, drawing their weapons to a scraping sound, as a sword to the floor would make. Luckily, their exhausted auras wouldn't be broken, as Jaune attempted to heave a sword from the floor. It reminded them of the drake's tail, sharp and unbroken, with the transition to leathery hide just below the cross guard, almost as if it were designed to be wielded, and the creature that bore it had grown around the sword. The leather was strong and unyielding, but still provided comfort. It felt right in Jaune's hands, as if he could wield it from the womb to his tomb. And so he did, storing Crocea Mors in his bottomless box, keeping his shield with him in his sheath, as he needed some defence. What was he, evasive? Ha, as if. He would never pull off the acrobatics the others could. All he could do was roll. Just roll through it. He hadn't died ye… oh yeah.

 **Acquired: Drake's tail sword**

 **"** **They forced us from our homes in the trees, so we took to the sky. Look what they have made us, child, and you will fly."- Unknown.**

 **A weapon found in the tail of a drake. The drakes harness the skies for power, and this weapon is no different. When they first left the archtrees, wind carried them to safety. Now, wind has become their power.**

 **Can harness the breeze, and when powered by aura, the weapon can use deadly gust to knock down foes.**

 **Special skill: Can use a large uppercut slash, knocking back nearby enemies, and increasing the force of regular blows. This power can even force wind through the floor, staggering and damaging foes.**

"Where did you put your sword?" Yang asked, seeing it simply vanish into a small box. That couldn't be right.

"Oh yeah. Yang, Jaune has new stuff. Ren made the box, and it carries infinite cookies! It even holds our weapons and weighs nothing!" Ruby yelped happily, clearly remembering her cookie coma.

"Jaune. Ruby is to have no more than five cookies a day. Also, how does it work?" Yang ruled sternly. Infinite cookies. Bah. He just wanted to keep everything they might ever need. And if he wanted Ruby to cooperate, well, that was the best bargaining chip he would get. 'Wonder what else he has locked in there'

"I don't know. Magic? You would have to ask Ren. Something about shamans." Jaune pondered the answer himself, but put it aside as he and the sisters entered the open courtyard, a small one containing a fountain with a statue atop it, representing a woman holding her child. It look eerily like his mother, but he shook it off. It must have been coincidence, and besides, a baby is a rather generic thing. What stood out was the sword in its palm. A carbon copy of Crocea Mors. What seemed different was that this one had a sunlight glow, perhaps distinguishing it from his own. But a picture came to him. His aura pouring into the blade. Could it be his sword?

No. He had no evidence other than slight resemblance and a commonly designed longsword. The younger sister's voice pierced his thoughts.

"Jaune, get your aura back, and let's go explore!" Ruby squeaked, standing beside a door leading towards some greenery. A window on the wall beside her showed small amounts of the overgrowth, and that the unknown plant seeped water over the stone walls. Clearly whatever flora resided in this upside down world, it was not in his own.

As he knelt at the bonfire, his aura grew back, but he felt stronger than before. His aura felt bigger. His mind faster. His fingers more dexterous. Was he actually growing?

 **Aura restored**

 **Aural estus flasks Refilled**

 **Current flasks: 10 + 0**

He rose to the challenge once more, leaving the safe and comfortable bonfire to venture into the unknown. They walked outside together, to see enemies huddled around them.

"Uhhh… So this is a thing." Yang stated, with only moderate concern. She stood a metre from a hollow, banging its head against the wall.

"If they won't hurt us, we shouldn't kill them." Ruby protested, defending the strange, suicidal hollows. Mercifully, the others obliged. They focused their attention to a crumbled stature, vandalised, but by what was uncertain. The foliage had begun to overshadow it, colouring the remains green. Jaune felt a strange tethering to the statue, as if drawn to it.

"Well, nothing this way. Let's go." The boisterous older huntress-in-training suggested, her smaller sister trailing her.

Jaune touched the statue, momentarily wondering on its meaning. He felt his aura warm up for a second, but shrugged it off.

The shrine to the sunlight warrior quivered beneath his touch, as if it had met its illustration. It offered him a covenant, and a brotherhood, but he didn't perceive it. Perhaps, another time. The boy left, ignorant of the knowledge he had been offered. Sometimes, the simplest option were overlooked. And so, Jaune left, following a quest he would surely return to. One day.

 **Lower Faunus settlement:**

Gambol shroud connected with wilt and blush, the metallic clangs ignored. They had been battling for what felt like hours, when in reality, a few minutes had passed at most. Drakes screamed on the horizon, unbeknownst to anyone, such was their concentration. Adam's cruel smirk disgusted Blake, fuelling her rage. Her katana performed its intricate dance, whirling in a storm of sharp edges. Unfortunately, her ex-partner had done this dance with her a million times, training her, teaching her to terrorise humans. His strength was unmatched, his technique perfected through years of hate, and the larger man could overpower her due to her wounds, and her fatigue, while he had clearly thrived in this villainous world.

"Why Blake? This could have been avoided. We could have been the revolution. But now, you make me destroy what I had built. Did you enjoy tearing the White fang apart?" His senseless voice questioned, red hair and covered eyes glowing. His aura flooded into the blade, as it had a million times before, and sliced across the small vegetated area. Small flowers rose as he cut them from their bushes, rising to the height of his strike. Blake ducked from instinct, rolling beneath the threat, before flipping into a stance to unleash a hail of bullets. Adam, expecting this, charged and tackled Blake, using his physical prowess to pin her. "I promised I would destroy everything you love. No matter where we are, I stand by those words." He spoke spitefully. Blake processed the sentence slowly as she faded to unconsciousness, his fist the last thing she saw, forcing itself maliciously into her head.

 **SDC Fortress, Lordran.**

"Willow, you must activate the defences. We can't afford to be followed." Came Cinder fall's seductive voice, similar to that of a siren. They sat inside the SDC

He complied, pulling the levers and switches required. The final obstacle was a small pad, using a personalised code, which only he and his daughters knew. Ivory's birthday. At least if they came, the huntresses and huntsman might have chance. But Weiss could make it through. He knew it. She had done it before, and she still bore the scars.

"Done. Where to now?" The hard voice of the elder Schnee called, staring into the burning eyes of his manipulator. His own icy blue could melt under their gaze, but instead she held her happy smirk, her plans proceeding.

"Come with me. You will know what you need when you need to know." Cinder Fall loved many things. But having one of the most important men in the world in the palm of her hand felt good. She still remembered the first conversation she had with Salem.

 _"_ _I want to be strong."_

 _"_ _I want to be feared."_

 _I want to be strong."_

 _"_ _I want to be powerful"_

And now she was. A maiden of fall, a lord of Lordran. She loved it. But she wanted more.

She wanted everything. Beacon was hers. The cinders and the magma. Only three forces could stop her. The remaining hunters and huntresses, collected across Remnant and Lordran, Ozpin and his insipid students and Salem herself.

So she would become a huntress, and hunt the hunters.

 **(Sorry that this is slightly late, I had internet problems, and it took a while to check over. There may be some slight issues, since I couldn't use my normal spellchecker, and I had to work through it myself, as well as uploading my new story, What little we've lost, which some of you may have read. Enjoy, and leave a review!)**


	20. Curiousity caught the cat

**Grimm souls; Paragons chapter 20**

 **(Ayo! I'm back, and so is grimm souls. Damn my grammar thing is stupid. Every time I write grimm it is highlighted. Aggravating. Anyway, another day, another chapter. V3 is out soon, and will be amazing. The trailers are so cool!**

 **I am sorry for the late upload, we had internet issues in "sunny" England**

 **P.S.A: RWBY volume 3's soundtrack is out on Spotify! Download it now! #Sponsored #no lol.)**

"We should obviously go up the tower! It would only take a minute, and it's not like anyone could hide in there!" Jaune shouted, frustrated by the infernal teen arguing against him.

"No! It could be a trap, and the open courtyard is obviously the right way! The bell isn't in the tower, is it!?" Yang jeered, mocking Jaune. He and Ruby both still found themselves looking at her sleeve, dangling on the wind, but both pretended not to notice, out of fear of retort. Yang seemed to ignore the issue. Even when fighting.

"Maybe we should vote on it? " Came Ruby's frightened voice, tearing the pair from their argument.

"Fine!" Both shouted, staring at Ruby. "Oh no." She squeaked, shying away from the frightening sister and the stubborn knight.

 **Lower faunus settlement**

Blake was in shock as she woke, squirming yet unable to move. Her battle hadn't even begun, Adam simply stood there as the lieutenant had her knocked out. That damn lapdog of his was always around, and they all had Faunus senses. They were at no disadvantage. And for her carelessness, she had been left bound. 'Then again' she thought 'It wasn't as if I would be left unrestrained.' But contrasting this, she realised she had been put in a barrel, and locked in an empty shack. With her hands tied behind her back. And little to no aura. She took a long sigh, then a deep breath.

"Crap."

 **Ruins of Londor**

 **(Area music: Original DS score, New londo ruins)**

"Qrow, why is there a ghost there?" Was all Winter Schnee could say. What other excuse was there for the intangible being, not effected by the mass of dust she had sprayed in its direction

"Don't waste your energy. Unless you come down with a sudden case of death, you can't hurt them. If you are cursed by an umbra witch, you forever walk the world like this. Or so say the legends." He mumbled, clearly sick of something about that sentence. "Besides, we can go. They aren't here. If they were, we would know. I sealed the gates myself."

"I'm surprised they are not open already, with your incompetence." Winter taunted, turning back. "Where else could they be?"

"It's a long shot, but they may just be in the forest. That or Arthur found them."

And so the non-dynamic duo set off once more.

 **Cathedral of Velka, outer tower, Lordran.**

She smirked as she reached the top, seeing it open, with no bell attatched to the imaginary roof. She knew it. And boy was she gonna capitalise. "Jaune, you were right, the bells are here!" She tried her best to sound excited, but not happy.

She was rewarded for her good acting as he rushed up the stairs, reaching the top step and freezing. The look on his face.

"Hahhahah" Came her laughter, before the crash of heavy armour alerted her. When she turned, she saw his face.

It appeared to be a hunter, purely masculine due to the breastplate's flat chest, showing lack of certain areas. The man was older, certainly. He stood taller than Jaune, but with the strength to back himself up. Broad shoulders and large, muscled arms held his weapon. A massive greatsword. Even larger. Ultra greatsword? Breaker sword? But what seemed odd was the uniformity. Hunters didn't wear bland, simple armour. They had armour that fit their personality. They didn't wear masks. These were soldiers, aura or not. Hunter trained? Probably, but they clearly stood in some army. What could it mean? The strange hunter turned, a red light within the visor. Similar to the previous hunter, yet the visor blocked further investigation.

"Yang? Jaune?" Ruby ascended the final step, her eyes flicking between the hunter and her friends. "Uhhh… RUN!" The three atop the battlements complied, the hunter chasing both the blondes, and the rosette leading improvised race for safety. It was suicide to fight in such close quarters with an experienced hunter. Even his weapon took up half of the room on the spiralling staircase, the sunlight doing very little to illuminate the small enclosed space. They reached the bottom seemingly instantly, gravity quickening their descent, with the ringing of footsteps in their ears.

"Yang, Ruby, run! I'll hold it here." Jaune called over their footsteps, turning to face the uniformed hunter. He held his shield firm, blocking the small doorway to the stairs, leading to the courtyard outside, Crocea Mors' shield holding fast, with his new sword held in his prominent hand. The dragon's tail seemed to quiver in his hand, his grasp firm around its chunky handle. It may not have been a longsword, but what was there to understand about swish, swish, death?

A small snail crawled across the tiny arching doorway. Its shell was a bright brown, and it was happy. Its family awaited it. It had gorged itself on the moss surrounding it. Its mate awaited it, in a slime filled nest beneath the statue in the next room. Loud noise and vibrations could be felt, its feelers twitching in anticipation. It felt dread in its final moments.

Then, the world erupted in pain, as Jaune Arc was pushed back, the massive greatsword of his enemy crashing down upon his shield, forcing him to lower and retreat, his knees buckling under the massive weight. The metal rasped and screamed, small sparks flying from the contact point. The shield came off worse for wear, Jaune's strength being overwhelmed by the hunter's technique and weight. He was pushed back, forced into the archway they had come from, and suddenly, the pressure dropped as the hunter flinched, the sounds of two weapons priming filling Jaune's ears. Crescent Rose's rounds and Ember Celica's first half. The staggered hunter continued to be forced inside, bullets peppering his charcoal coloured armour, small dents and holes becoming visible. Jaune saw his opportunity to be useful, his tired arms lifting Dragon tail to slice downward. The oddly shaped blade seeing to reject the sunlight beating down upon them all. The wind whipped around the young Arc, Ruby continuing to fire from behind, locking the hunter into a cycle of staggering. Perhaps it had been weakened, as its training didn't defend it from the simple attacks, and Aura seemed to be wholly forgotten by the hunter. She looked to Yang, throwing punches with her remaining arm with abandon, concussing the hunter and somehow avoiding Jaune, despite only an inch or so in height difference. She hadn't forgotten her training, Ruby guessed. Jaune's slice then came, surprising them all.

"Arrgh!" Jaune grunted, swinging the sword down with all the might his tired right arm could provide. Wind seemed to imbue the sword, causing a miniature hurricane around the blade. Yang felt her precious hair whip around, the wind catching everything nearby. Ruby felt a slight tug, her cloak slowly drifting toward the sword.

As it came down, the hunter seemed to step towards it, straight into the opening and Jaune's blade, as if dragged forward by the raging force surrounding the hurricane. It cleaved through armour, the black metal yielding to the strain. The uniformity the hunter had held came crashing down around him, blood pouring over the well cleaned and shining armour, ruining its bleak impurity. The blood now covering its armour had clearly killed it, the lights in its eyes flickered out in an instant. The black charcoal-like armour tainted blood red.

"Jaune, would we be your friends if we left you to face giant killer monsters alone?" Came ruby's adorable yet near mocking voice, disheartening Jaune. He had needed help again, forced to be supported by those stronger than himself. He wanted to be the hero. Him! Not the small introvert or the injured girl. He scowled to himself inwardly, before continuing on.

"Thanks guys." Jaune scowled, walking up the small set of stairs that Yang and Ruby sat at the base of. As he walked past, he saw Ruby's smile drop for a heartbeat. Sadness and fear crossed her face, blemishing the beautiful rose. They followed silently.

 **Cathedral of Velka, heretic's shrine**

"REN!"

"Yes Nora?"

"Why is there a man with green glowy eyes in our new basement?" The hammer maiden asked, leaning against the stairs, looking down a small corridor. "Is he here for the pancakes?"

"No, ignore it, Nora." The boy in green replied, not looking up from the anvil.

They had found this place after little exploration, both of them waking up in the center of a forest, after slipping into unconsciousness in Beacon's courtyard. No-one surrounded them, sat in a simple crevice beside a closed gate. They had not seen anyone since, but the ravens and the crows had been numerous, and strange beings of darkness had been seen. Ren had been the one to suggest heading to the church, finding the small shrine with a fire and an anvil. Luckily, his box had been stored in reserve with plenty of food and ammo. The one thing they didn't have, though was…

"Argh" Ren cried, his arm and side still painfully denying him. Medical supplies were scarce, and the exploring the forest and hiding it from Nora hadn't helped. He knew Nora had dealt with the same issue, and knew she was also hiding it, with relative success. "Nora, we need to go and look for somewhere to rest soon. Somewhere safe." Ren said calmly, but carefully too. His childhood friend took offense to weakness, especially her own.

"But we have the fire upstairs? Why don't you rest there?" the chirpy girl turned her head slightly, looking a little like team RWBY's dog.

"Nora."

"Yes Ren?"

"I'm going to bed. Good night Nora."

"Silly Ren, there isn't a moon here, there is no night."

 **(A/N Sorry for the abnormally short chapter, and it being later, but I had internet issues, and RWBY V3 is out. Sorry to all of you waiting, but it was worth the wait. Right guys? Right? Yeah, ill let myself out.)**


	21. Final, Please read

Hey all, this is just a little thing I need to say before I go.

I have had a wonderful time due to this website, and writing a story of my own to give people the same joy has made me happy. I'm not one for cheesy speeches, and you all know that I put heart and soul into my writing.

But its all over. I can no longer keep up. I am moving away from home, and will be at university. I don't want to moan about it, and many a question may be asked on my PM box. feel free. But I will discontinue all my stories.

What little we've lost and Grimm souls: Paragons will be discontinued. Anyone who wants to write the story while I am gone, please ask me in the PM box, as I do have a few things that have to happen, to make this story work.

I refuse to pander, but I truly did enjoy it. I know some of you more active supporters will be asking away, and I am sorry to have to do this to you.

Please don't hesitate to ask or tell me anything.

Aurory Borealis


	22. Lore plans, follow up and goodbye

**Plan for Grimm souls; Paragons**

 **Act 1:** **** **The songs of ice and fire:**

Jaune's first death, meets summer. Kills corrupt Astral, meets Yang.

Qrow and Raven spy on Salem, Qrow brings Winter to the seal, Raven learns of the chaos blade.

Blake kidnapped by Adam, saved by sun. Fights Adam together, but flee as he becomes the Taurus demon, transformed by grimm essence. Finds Yang, makes way to SDC fortress.

Willow Schnee is kidnapped and extorted by Cinder, reanimates the SDC Golem Knight. Forced to fight as a guardian of the Corrupt Spider astral, Quelana. Winter, Jaune and Ruby defeats Quelana and Willow. Cinder kills Willow and leaves, deeper into the blighted depths, taking the Bed of chaos.

Taiyang aids Arthur, both fight inside the Jade forest, but kill the dog Astral, Sif, both leave upon the ringing of the bells. Meet at SDC fortress.

Ruby and Jaune strengthen, killing the WF lieutenant, three of the Astral, Boar, Eagle (Gargoyle fight) and monkey (titanite demon). Meets Professor Port at SDC fortress.

Salem continues to plan, guides Cinder. Attempts to resurrect Manus. Fails.

Ren, Nora and Velvet stay at the cathedral of Velka, Velvet re-joins her team later, at act three. Watcher watches her.

Ruby and Jaune leave to the undead swamp, with Qrow following in bird form. Raven is seen multiple times, murdering skilled hollows, sometimes helping Ruby and Jaune. Cinder is within the anima realm (where queelag is) and fatally wounds Ruby. Jaune activates semblance (miracles) and heals her.

Cinder summons Pyrrha's soul, killing Jaune with it due to shock. Pyrrha regains slight control as Ruby Damages Cinder with silver eyes (time distortion decay). Jaune returns. Raven appears to stop them from descending into izama (Izalith). Hides the corpses of some dark bringers (act 4)

Cinder escapes.

Raven and Qrow brings everyone to the SDC fort. Willow schnee now mind controlled hides within it.

 **Act 2: Beacon of hope.**

Everyone at SDC fort (Jaune, Ruby, Blake, Yang, Qrow, Sun, Winter, Port, Taiyang and Arthur.)

Teams fight through as: JRBSY, QWPTA

Winter dies to the Mimic chest, is not revived by summer Rose. Becomes a demon. Qrow is forced to save either Taiyang or Ruby, and saves Ruby. Taiyang dies to the dart trap, falling into the Titanite Golems. Stays in summer's realm. Becomes overcome by grief. Demon transformation happens slowly.

Teams meet at top, as SDC golem knight is reanimated. Weiss is facing it, but hasn't started fighting yet. Golem is imbued with Ivory Schnee's Soul. Weiss kills it, mimicking the trailer.

Willow fights alone, and dies against all of the huntsmen firing on him, Weiss is slightly sad.

C(V)FY meet in Firelink shrine.

Jaune dies to a dart trap. Revived by Summer rose, Winter and Taiyang. Taiyang becomes fully tainted. (Death taints souls of the dead.)

Qrow and Raven travels Port, Jaune, Weiss, Ruby, Blake, Yang and Sun to Beacon, by creating a portal.

 **Act 2.5: Castle of ice.**

Beacon/Vale is in winter, with Beacon being frozen. Teams fight through, reaching the main hall. Teams split to fight both sides of beacon, with Qrow and Raven leaving to go to fight in Izalith.

CVFY leave for undead respite. Fox is beginning to be tainted

Yang, Blake, sun and Port take one side, leading to the CCT tower (dragon) (Act 4)

Ruby, Jaune, Qrow and Raven fight into the cafeteria, fighting slightly tainted versions of Emerald and Mercury. Jaune dies, but others successfully win. Emerald survives due to mimicry. Raven kills Mercury in Yang's name.

Jaune discusses death with Summer. Summer warns him of death coming for those around him. Grants him the ability to replenish others. Grants him ability to cleans grimm, similar to Ruby's silver eyes.

Within ozpin's tower is the Lordvessel tablet (gear cane). Qrow claims it, and Raven threatens him. Jaune takes it and leaves.

 **Act 3: Ash and Dust.**

Jaune and Ruby attack the CCT looking for others. Dragon still remains atop it. Ruby rages into tower, goes through fog gate, gets captured. Jaune uses cleanse, and is alone at the bottom of the tower.

Jaune fights through the tower in a rage, saving people and killing strong hollows easily, until he finds Ruby. Everyone but Arthur has been found.

Everyone finds Arthur fighting the Grimm dragon, alongside Ironwood and Glynda, who don't explain how they got there. Ironwood (death by falling as his metal arm rusts and decays near Ruby), Glynda (spikes), Port (crushed)and Sun (clones used as a decoy fails, as he is killed by dragon's breath) are all killed fighting on top of the CCT, which is now coated by grimm essence and random grimm bone spikes. Blake is wounded defending Yang. Jaune and Ruby kill the dragon in a combined attack, using Ruby's scythe and Jaune cleansing it. Blake is healed.

Ruby and Jaune have a romantic catch to save moment, but Yang is there.

Survivors head to the undead respite, to the next (final, but they don't know that) astral, Avarice, the snake astral.

Ren and Nora head towards the seal, fighting into the heart of the flood. Ren is an ultimate ghost hunting Badass.

Nora and Ren kill drakes, but are overcome by dark wraiths. They die together, killing the sloth and the tiger astral. They die together, bleeding and being consumed by the abyss. Collected in Summer's realm, they are untainted.

Raven leaves the group to find the chaos blade, going slightly insane. Yang and Blake chases her. They find her in Izalith, but Blkae is killed protecting Yang. "I brought you into this world, I will remove you". Yang kills Raven, and dons her mask. She is corrupted.

Qrow, Ruby, Jaune, Weiss and Arthur fight into the undead respite, killing many skeletons. They find fox, who pushes them into a pit of the final Astra, the snake. Coco and Yatsu's corpses can be seen, but Velvet remains missing. Fox and the snake fight them, Weiss is killed by Fox, but the SDC golem summon defends her well, killing fox in return, and damaging the snake. Qrow saves Ruby from the snake, but his bad luck kicks in, and the mother of the astra, a sentient spider broodmother (DOTA 2) lands on him, and kills him. Tells them about Salem's corruption, and Ozpin's war. Tells them to find and kill Salem, and to find the soul of flame, which he hints to cinder and the Chaos bed. Arthur asks for all the fire dust Ruby has, and pulls some from the bottomless box. Tells Jaune and Ruby to leave, and kills the spider.

Velvet is found on their way out, and joins them at Firelink shrine, but is overthrown by grief. Becomes corrupted within the shrine, and kills Neo, who does not resist.

 **Act 4: Fires of the revolution**

Ruby and Jaune fight to the bed of chaos, but are stopped by constant fire demons. Jaune dies to protect Ruby when they find the corrupted Yang, and returns to find her crying over Yang, but Summer warns him not to die any more, as his soul cannot handle resurrection any more. She is lying, and laughs at his leaving. Grimm flock to her, and a Salem clone is seen.

Jaune and Ruby fight Cinder in a rage, but she summons Pyrrha as a final guardian. Pyrrha is cleansed, but is still not strong enough. Pyrrha dies immediately, killed by an arrow to the heart, aimed for Jaune. Ruby does her silver eyes thing, going into a frenzy. Cinder transforms with grimm essence, and is killed by Jaune, who transforms his weapon to a scimitar. Jaune dies of wounds.

Meets Summer, who is slightly corrupted. Jaune senses this, but Summer sends him back, and grants him the ability to hide from the acolytes of Salem, who hunt them.

Jaune and Ruby see that the world is becoming unstable, and acolytes start swarming the area, most people are killed, but they stealth their way to the Lordvessel, opening the final door. Salem stands, but Manus, brother or darkness is with her. Ruby and Jaune fight together, Jaune killing Salem, as his father did. He transforms his sword into a catalyst, and kills salem using miracles, similar to his father. Ruby and Manus are both in a frenzy, but Manus is slowly seeping grimm essence everywhere. Jaune sheathes his sword, then transforms it into Excalibur, his father's sword (king of vale's too.) Salem resurrects, laughing at them, in her weak form. She tells them that Ozpin planned this to control remnant, and she is correct. She offers a portal to Ozpin, but they refuse to believe her. She laughs, telling them there is no way out, and offers a second portal, made of light, leading to Summer Rose. Her final words are: "An angel and a demon face me. Which way do I turn?"

 **Act 5: Light is strange**

They enter the Summer's portal, seeing her in the arena of the painted world. Everyone who has died is there, and all are together as white spirits. Summer lures in Ruby, but Jaune runs in and savagely kills her with Crocea mors. Ruby cries out, but Jaune comforts her. All the spirits fade, except for Ren, Nora and Arthur, who died in peace. Arthur tell them to go and kill Ozpin, who was the true dark. They open a portal to the garden of light

They do, heading into the garden of light, and Ozpin is waiting for them. He explains that the dark and light are not so simple, and attempts to persuade them to live with him, as ruler of Remnant and Lordran, which have both been overrun by grimm. They deny, and tell him to fight. He refuses, and says that he has already lost. His plans were destroyed when Summer died the first time. He dissipates.

Ruby and Jaune collapse, and are together left alone in the world.

Final author monologue about no happy ending, and dark and light being contrasting, but stereotypes. Light and dark are only colours. The final quotes are the RWBY trailer intro texts by Monty, and "Any man or woman can be a paragon, for every person is the hero of their own story."


End file.
